Something to Prove
by Desbelleschoses
Summary: As Suna prepares for its first independently-held chunin exam since Gaara became kazekage, the sand siblings must make sure that everything goes off without a hitch. Shikatema. T. Sequel - Something to Gain
1. Lackluster Welcome

**_Chapter One: Lackluster Welcome_**

Temari loved both of her brothers dearly. They were the only family they had left. As annoying as Kankuro could be, and even after everything Gaara had done, they were still her blood. But, sometimes, she needed a break.

She could understand why the elders and her father had assigned the three of them to a squad despite their age differences. They were all highly talented; they had royal blood; it would be easier to groom them to become future kazekage.

But for the love of all that was holy, no one could travel for three days straight with their siblings and stay sane.

"I'm telling you, it's going to be so fucking cool. And I've just got to figure out how to get all of them to interlock. I mean, I can already get them to morph into what I need. That's easy. But when you think about it, I'm going to need a lot more than just crow and the others to make it happen. And then, I've got to figure out how to manage that many threads-"

Temari looked up at the sun. Four in the afternoon. Kankuro had been talking nonstop for over an hour. Neither she nor Gaara were even pretending to listen. He just loved the sound of his own voice. If she was honest with herself, she'd stopped listening after he'd said the words 'giant, morphing puppet monster.'

 _Maybe this is why Shikamaru smokes_.

"Kankuro," Gaara rasped, looking ahead rather than at his brother. "We've still got some ways to go before we reach Konoha. You may want to save your breath for a while."

Temari bit back a laugh, surprised that quiet, reserved Gaara had spoken up before she did. She could tell by Kankuro's gaping mouth that he was caught off guard, as well.

"You know, if I didn't look just like Dad, I'd think I was adopted," Kankuro snapped bitterly.

"That would explain a lot of things." Gaara's voice was tinged with amusement, and Temari could hear the smirk he was wearing.

She couldn't hold it back anymore. Temari laughed into the palm of her hand, turning away from her brother. The look on his face would be too much, and she'd have to stop if she laughed too hard.

"The hell?! Don't team up on me like that."

"Then quit setting yourself up," Temari suggested once she had composed herself.

Kankuro bit his tongue, already planning his revenge. Maybe he'd go with his old standby of leaving Crow in unusual places. That one never failed to make Temari jump out of her skin. Gaara was harder to break, but he'd figure something out.

The three ran in silence until the sky turned a hazy purple. With the red walls of the village in sight, they slowed their pace to a leisurely stroll down the marked road. Only a complete idiot would risk attacking the trio so close to an allied village. Gaara would have sensed any enemies by now, anyway.

The kazekage stretched his neck to the left and rolled his right shoulder in a stretch. "Let's not forget why we're here. It's an honor for Suna to host the chunin exam without the aid of Konoha, and we can't afford to let anything slide. Kankuro, you'll be meeting with a few of the jonin squad leaders. Make sure they know what their teams will be up against when it comes to the survival challenge. I don't want anyone sending unprepared genin into the Demon Desert. It won't look good if too many die on our watch."

"Right," Kankuro affirmed. They had spent their fair share of time within that hell hole, and all three were intimately aware of the dangers that lurked within. He glanced at his sister out of the corner of his eye, trying to will away the image he had of her bleeding out onto the sand after an ambush by a giant scorpion. They were only genin; if Gaara hadn't lost control, Temari might not have survived. That was the only time Kankuro had ever been grateful for the sand demon.

"Temari, I trust you to take care of things on your end. I'd like to have everything smoothed out by the time we leave as far as the exam itself is concerned. Run the numbers and make any contingency plans you think are necessary."

"I've got it," Temari said confidently. The exams had been at the forefront of her mind for months; she'd even started dreaming about them over the last few nights. To her, this exam was their chance to prove themselves to the other nations. No other village was led by anyone close to Gaara's age, let alone advised by those in their late-teens or early-twenties. Being Kage had always been an old man's game. Sure, recent Kage had chipped away at that mold, but Suna couldn't keep appearing weak to the other nations. This was a time when they could prove themselves as the next generation, to show their predecessors that they were fit to take the reins and rule in their stead.

"The exams are in two weeks. We have three days here. Make the most of it." Gaara's serious tone didn't raise any red flags. So far, it seemed everything was going as planned.

The familiar faces of Izumo and Kotetsu were illuminated by the lights they held as they stood guard over the large, open gate. Darkness had yet to fall, but they had run behind, a fact for which Gaara made sure to apologize. The two leaf ninja brushed the incident aside, but it was clear that they had both been eager to shut the gate and abandon their post for the evening.

The air was full of spicy-sweet flavors that made Kankuro's stomach growl audibly. Fair enough, Temari thought. They hadn't had much of anything in the last few days, and the smells of dinner time in the leaf were enough to make anyone weak.

Her eyes darted around their location, clearly on the lookout. Her eyebrows raised ever so slightly before furrowing. He forgot, she was sure. That, or he was too wrapped up in having his own dinner to remember his job. She clicked her tongue in impatience before turning to her brothers. "Well, we should get something to eat before it gets too late."

Kankuro placed his hands on his sister's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "I would kill a man for barbeque."

Temari nonchalantly moved his hands away and glanced at Gaara, who shrugged. Pleased, Kankuro grabbed his siblings by the wrists and practically drug them down the busy street. No one paid them much attention. Gaara had chosen against traveling in his kage garb, which he found cumbersome. To the untrained eye, the three of them were just normal ninja. Gaara and Temari were finally released so that Kankuro could open the door beneath a large sign that read 'BBQ.'

After being ushered to their table, Temari plopped down onto a cushion and rubbed her wrist. "None of that was necessary."

"I beg to differ," Kankuro argued as he studied the menu. The one thing he loved about these trips was that their food and lodging was on Suna's dime rather than their own. He had developed a sort of masochistic ritual where, upon arrival, he would stuff himself silly and then lay in bed, sick, for the rest of the night. All the same, it only affected himself, so neither his brother nor his sister said or did anything to stop him.

Gaara and Temari informed their waiter that they'd be splitting one plate of meat to Kankuro's two, and Temari asked for extra vegetables and a bottle of sake. She knew Kankuro was looking at her as she ordered. As the waiter left after bringing her sake, she looked over at him and snapped "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that someone's trying to flaunt their age a little too desperately."

Temari scoffed. "Don't blame me because you're underage. That one's all Mom and Dad. If you want it so badly, just order. No one here's going to check up on you."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Temari smacked her brother's hand, which was reaching across the table for her cup. "Get your own."

"Be reasonable," Gaara warned his siblings. Young as they were, the three of them were still visiting dignitaries. As the name implied, well, he hoped they'd both maintain at least some of their dignity.

And reasonable they were, to the best of their ability. Kankuro ordered his third serving at the same time Temari asked for her second bottle of sake. Even their younger brother was starting to feel full and content.

"Hey, look who it is!"

Temari looked up from their table to see her pleasant, and rather plump, friend standing beside them. To his left was Ino, who seemed more surprised than anything else.

"Mind if we join you?" Choji asked, although by that point he had already taken a seat. Temari tucked her legs back under the table to make room for him and to avoid being sat on. Ino followed his lead, slipping more gracefully down next to Gaara.

"Not at all," Gaara assured them. He did wonder for a moment if this meant that they would be paying for their companions' food as well, but he decided that wasn't important. It had been a long journey, and they were all happy to have the company.

"Here," Temari slid the plate closest to her nearer to the center of the table. "We'll go ahead and order some more."

Begrudgingly, Kankuro followed her lead before signaling to their waiter. A look of recognition crossed the man's face as he saw the new guests, and he made sure to grab a tray on which he could put more plates.

"Hey," Ino spoke up as she surveyed the restaurant. "Where's Shikamaru?"

"Don't know," Temari informed her as she tilted the bottle of sake over her cup, pouring out the last of it.

"He wasn't there to meet you?"

Temari lifted the glass to her lips before shrugging her shoulders. Her cheeks had turned a healthy shade of pink from the alcohol and the warmth of the grill. "He probably forgot."

"Yeah, the two guards were there, like always, but that was it." Kankuro confirmed as he took one of the plates passed to him by the waiter. Dishes changed hands and more sake was brought to the table before he continued. "I didn't even know he was supposed to meet us."

"Well, he always escorts Temari. So, when we heard you were coming, we just assumed," Choji informed them, mouth full.

Ino glared at him, scolding "Swallow before you talk, you idiot! Use your manners!"

Choji chuckled bashfully after doing as he was told. "Sorry, Ino."

"We were late getting here. Perhaps he thought we weren't coming?" Gaara suggested, not entirely sure if Choji and Ino were concerned for or disappointed in their teammate.

Temari let out a short laugh, perhaps a little louder than she had intended. "The day that man is on time for anything is the day the sun won't rise."

"I'll drink to that!" Ino exclaimed, and both women downed their cups of sake after toasting one another.

"Come on, guys. Lighten up." Choji jumped to his best friend's defense. He started flipping the meat on the grill as an excuse not to look at anyone in particular. "He means well."

"Meaning well and doing well are two completely different things," Ino corrected, earning a nondescript noise of approval from the sand kunoichi.

Kankuro groaned and shoved his empty plate further inward on the table. His hand snatched the black hat off his head, revealing a mess of brown hair. He rested both his forearms in front of him and lay his head down. "I don't feel so good."

"What did you expect?" Gaara asked his brother, who only groaned.

"Aaaand that's the end of that," Temari declared, gesturing for their waiter to bring them the check.

Gaara took the check before anyone else had a chance to say something, handing it immediately back to the waiter with the full amount they owed. He lifted himself to his feet before bracing himself, moving to help his brother to his feet.

Temari and Ino were stable on their own, but they'd both had a little too much to drink to be of any use. Choji took it upon himself to help Kankuro. His larger frame made it easier to help him along than it would be for the slight kazekage.

"Are you staying at your usual place?" Choji asked as the five ninja stepped outside into the cool, night air.

"Well, if my escort ever bothered to show up, maybe we'd know," Temari remarked snidely before she could stop herself. Her face reddened when she realized she had used a possessive pronoun, but the color in her cheeks masked it, much to her relief.

Ino laughed, easing Temari's nervousness. Her mind was still clear enough to realize that they wouldn't get very far without the keys to her apartment. In fact, she had no idea if her brothers would be staying with her at the small apartment, or if the hokage had arranged for them to stay elsewhere.

Gaara, who was far more lucid than either of his siblings, and the only one free of the effects of alcohol, caught on to this fact the quickest. "It seems like we need to find Shikamaru."

Kankuro groaned, putting more of his weight against Choji. "Please don't make me walk."

"Okay, easy does it." Choji did his best not to jostle Kankuro too much as he pulled him up onto his back. The sand ninja was too ill to feel any embarrassment at his current situation. Choji took it upon himself to lead the way. Gaara walked beside him, keeping an eye on his older brother. Temari trudged along behind, matching her pace with Ino.

"Where do you think he is?" Ino asked her teammate.

"Dunno. But he's gotta be around here somewhere, right?"

The group wandered through the streets of Konoha as the moon rose steadily higher. The further from the gate they went, the fewer people they encountered. Soon Temari didn't recognize the faces of anyone they passed. She let out a languid sigh.

"Tell me about it," Ino commented. She then turned her attention to the front of the group. "C'mon, Choji. He's probably wandered off somewhere. I say forget him."

"Let's just see if he's at his place," Choji insisted. "If he isn't, then we'll figure something out." It was getting late, and playing 'where's Shikamaru' wasn't how any of them had planned to spend the evening.

Temari was sobering up as the night went on, but that didn't stop her from cursing him under her breath. Apparently, she wasn't as quiet as she thought, because Ino put a hand on her shoulder in solidarity.

She'd been on the road for three days. All she'd wanted was a good meal, some hot sake, and a long bath.

Choji set Kankuro down against a stone pillar, which served as the base for a large gate. A banner hung down, marked with the Nara family symbol. It didn't look like any lights were on. "Let me check." Choji left his companions behind as he walked down the path and up to the door. He walked from one end of the porch to the other, peering around the house.

Temari placed her hands on her hips as Choji made his way back to them. When he shook his head, she reached her arms up to the sky and twisted, popping her back. She was exhausted, and she'd had enough. "Fuck it," she decided, catching the leaf ninja off guard with her language. "There has to be an inn around here. Shikamaru can pay the bill."

"Now, come on, don't do that." Choji did his best to placate her. "You guys can come crash at my place. My folks won't mind."

Gaara jumped in before his brother or sister could say a word. "That's very kind of you. We'd appreciate that. I'm sure we will get this sorted out tomorrow morning."

"Well, I'm out, then." Ino raised her hand in farewell. "Let me know if you find him, okay?"

"You've got it," Choji assured her.

Kankuro took it upon himself to walk the rest of the way, but he also didn't hesitate to complain. His voice was the only one in the group; Gaara and Temari were both physically exhausted. Thankfully, they didn't have much further to walk.

Temari sat down in the doorway of the Akimichi residence as she removed her shoes, and she wondered if she'd be able to get back up. She certainly didn't want to. One thing was for sure. She'd gained a lot more appreciation for Choji. She also felt closer to Ino after tonight, as strange as that was for her. New friends weren't easy to come by.

Choji offered her his hand, which she took and used to pull herself to her feet once more.

"Up you go." Choji smiled. "Now, come on, you guys. We've got some spare rooms. I'll explain everything to my parents tomorrow. For now, let's get some rest."

Bedding, blankets, and pillows were stored neatly away in closets behind sliding doors, much to Temari's relief. She dropped her pack onto the tatami and gathered what she would need, half-dragging it out into the room. At that moment, the clean bedding felt like heaven.

As she changed clothes, she could already hear Kankuro snoring from the next room. That was sure to keep her up a while longer. Quietly, as not to disturb their hosts, she slipped into the hallway and tiptoed until she found the kitchen. She took a moment to splash water onto her face from the sink, enjoying the cool sensation on her warm cheeks. Before she closed the faucet, she filled a glass of water and drank until it was empty. She knew she'd thank herself for it the next day. Once she filled her glass a second time, she retraced her footsteps. Quietly, she slid the door to her room closed.

Too warm for her tastes, she opened the door to the walkway, letting the night air inside. She took a moment to sit cross-legged on the wood, breathing deeply. She needed to let go of some of her anger if she was going to sleep. Still… how could he forget? She couldn't admit that she was personally offended. But, even as a mission, he'd failed spectacularly. In a word, she was disappointed.

The realization weighed heavy on her chest. Bitterly, she hoped that he'd lose just as much sleep as she would that night. A yawn caught her by surprise, and she gave up the fight. She fell down onto her bedding, asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow.


	2. Down to Business

**_Chapter Two: Down to Business_**

Temari turned over in her sleep, half-awake. Something heavenly was being cooked, and the scent gently prodded her out of her sleep. She reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up. Out of habit, she re-adjusted her shirt so that it covered her stomach before stretching. Her mouth was dry and bitter, and she eagerly drank the glass of water she had gotten herself the night before.

Not wanting to be rude, she made sure to fold and set aside the bedding she had used the night before and closed the door to the walkway, submerging the room in darkness. She ran a hand through her hair and quickly assessed her appearance, deciding that it was decent enough to be seen in the morning.

To her surprise, she found that she was the last one to have woken up. Kankuro and Choji sat side-by-side at the kitchen table, both eating as though they had never seen food before. A plump, pleasant woman bustled about the kitchen, humming to herself as she went. On the couch sat a man who appeared to be a much larger version of Choji, who got to his feet when Temari stepped through the doorway.

"Good morning," Temari murmured, suddenly wondering how long she'd slept.

"Ah, Temari." Gaara spoke up from beside a window, from which he turned to face her.

She was caught off guard when a massive hand came to rest on her shoulder. Her attention was pulled to the side, where Chozo offered her a large mug. "Akimichi family secret," he informed her. "Your brother told me about your little odyssey last night. This'll have you up and going, and kick the effects of sake. It tastes foul, but I'd bet my life on it."

Temari took the mug from his hand and gave it a sniff, grimacing. Chozo only laughed and gave her a pat on the back. She murmured her thanks before sitting down at the table beside her brother, helping herself to the food prepared for them. She hesitated, staring down the mug and its foul contents. Like a true Suna kunoichi, she steeled her nerves and drained the contents in a single go. Her eyes watered, and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. It tasted like acid and rotten fruit, and it was almost enough to make her gag. With a look of distaste, she slid the empty mug across the table until it was an arm's length away from her.

Chozo laughed, having seen the look on her face many times before. "Atta girl," he praised, offering her a cup of coffee to wash away the taste. "Choji, have you heard from Shikamaru? I'm starting to worry about him."

Choji shook his head, telling his father, "We couldn't find him. I don't know what happened. He's usually not this bad."

Chozo returned to his seat on the couch. "Maybe I should ask Shikaku…"

"No, don't do that. I don't want to get him in trouble," Choji insisted.

Gaara slipped into the kitchen, returning his plate and glass while giving his thanks. "The hokage is expecting me," he explained to their hosts. "Thank you again for opening your home to us."

Chozo waved his hand. "Please, it's our honor to host the Suna royal family, and Choji's friends are always welcome here."

Gaara offered a small smile in return before excusing himself.

Kankuro groaned, aware that he needed to get moving if he was going to be on time to meet with the jonin. Reluctantly, he excused himself from the table and returned to his room.

Temari made no move to get up, instead putting food in her plate.

"Do you have to be somewhere?" Choji asked her out of curiosity.

The sand ninja shook her head, and her loose bangs fell into her face. As she pushed them back, she commented "I can't do anything until my fellow proctor decides to show up."

"Just promise me you'll go easy on him."

Temari arched an eyebrow. "We'll see."

"Hey, Choji!" Shikamaru's voice called down the hallway. A series of rapid footsteps fell as his voice got closer. "Have you seen-?"

Choji looked over at his friend and pointed across the table at Temari.

Her eyes narrowed to slits as she looked her escort up and down. It didn't look like he'd slept. He was out of breath, and his face had a look of mixed relief and hesitance.

"Where the hell is my hat?!" Kankuro's voice bellowed throughout the house, breaking the silence.

Shikamaru looked down at the black cloth in his hand. "You left it at the barbecue," he called.

Kankuro returned to the kitchen, clad in his usual black. He had painted his face, and his brown hair stood out against his clothing. "About time you found us," he complained as he took his hat from Shikamaru. He pulled it over his head and gave a slight wave before going on his way. "Later, Temari."

The tension in the air hung heavily throughout the kitchen. Even Chozo could feel it. He was more amused than anything else; he'd seen that look on Shikaku's face more times than he could count.

Choji could tell Shikamaru was thinking. You didn't have to be a genius to know he was screwed. He looked between Temari and his best friend, who were locked in a staring match. _Wow, this is uncomfortable._

After a few moments, Temari broke her gaze away, choosing to drink from her coffee cup. Shikamaru let out a sigh of relief. Even though neither of them had spoken, he knew that he was forgiven, at least for the time being. He welcomed himself to the table, taking the plate offered to him by Choji's mother.

"Man, where were you? We looked everywhere for you last night," Choji remarked.

"I got held up in a meeting with the hokage," Shikamaru explained. "By the time I got to the gate, Izumo and Kotetsu were gone. So I sat and waited." He left out the part where he'd fallen asleep, trying to save a little face. "I was there all night. Izumo and Koetsu woke… got there this morning and told me they'd already arrived. So I came to ask you."

Temari set her mug down on the table, doing her best not to let her annoyance show in front of their hosts. "Now that you've come out of hiding, we can get to work." She rose from her chair and returned her dishes to the sink before turning on her heel and walking down the hallway. "Do me a favor and stay put long enough for me to get dressed."

Shikamaru blinked once and groaned, resting his head in the palm of his hand. "She's gonna kill me…"

Chozo couldn't keep himself from laughing.

* * *

Shikamaru trudged along, his hands in his pockets. Temari was a few steps ahead of him, keeping an even pace. He'd been looking at her back ever since they left the Akimichi's. She'd pulled her hair back into those four points, like usual. Her black dress and red sash were familiar, as was the fan secured to her back. By all appearances, it was just another day.

He let out a sigh and looked up, studying the single cloud that hung in the sky. "If you're going to say something, just say it."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Come on, Temari, don't do this." He'd just wanted to get the scolding over with, not start a fight.

"I don't have anything to say about it," Temari informed him flatly. "We have bigger things to worry about."

"I know you're pissed at me."

Temari stopped in her tracks, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Are you looking for an argument?"

Shikamaru was caught off guard. "No."

"Then just leave it alone."

 _God, she's so frustrating. She gets pissed at me over nothing, and the one time I actually fuck up, she doesn't want to talk about it. What'd I do to get stuck with her?_

Shikamaru was the one to take up the pace, passing by Temari. A few quick steps had her strolling by his side. To his surprise, she didn't seem angry. Maybe it was a trick.

He felt a slight tug on his left sleeve. Temari had captured the fabric by his wrist with her thumb and forefinger, prompting him to change direction with her. He followed her lead and took a seat on a wooden bench underneath the wooden awning of a shop, where she bought herself a cup of tea. It was then that he noticed the slightly dark circles under her eyes. Absentmindedly, he wondered if she was just as tired as he was.

Temari sat her tea down on the bench beside her and pulled out a notebook, which was filled with hasty writing. "We've only got three days to make sure everything's ready. You've finished the exam questions, right?"

Shikamaru studied her face as she flipped through the pages. "You're not mad at me."

"What?" Temari looked over at him. "I told you that."

"Why?"

Was he sick or something? "Do you _want_ me to be mad at you?"

"No," he corrected hastily. "I just thought you would be."

"Look, I'm willing to admit that I wasn't thinking straight, either. We were late, and we didn't wait more than a minute before leaving to get food. It's not like we tried to hunt you down first thing. We'd all had some sake with dinner and didn't think about going back to the gate to look for you." Temari paused to take a sip of her tea. "I won't say I wasn't pissed, but I got it out of my system. You're just lucky Choji was there; you almost had to pay for us to stay at an onsen."

 _Ah, there it is._ "I guess I owe him one."

"I'd say so." Behind her snide remark was a hint of a smile, which put Shikamaru's mind at ease. "You'll be making it up to me for the rest of our visit."

Shikamaru took the notebook out of her hands and glanced over the page. "No one's going to be able to pass the written exam on their own," he assured her, changing the subject. "It's a lot harder than last year's."

"Tell me that you came up with a tenth question that won't have the genin trying to destroy the building," Temari prompted, remembering the last, joint-effort chunin exam they had run.

"Don't worry about it. I've got it under control."

"I'd hope so. I don't want you embarrassing yourself."

Shikamaru snorted. "Don't you mean Suna?"

"We can handle a little embarrassment. You, well, I don't know how much credibility you have left."

Shikamaru drew air in through his teeth. "Ouch." He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, which he thumped against his palm. "I guess you'll be using the demon desert again?"

Temari nodded. "Kankuro is making sure that the jonin know the risk this time around. We don't want to be responsible for any considerable loss of life."

"That's not funny, Temari."

"No, it's not."

A heavy silence passed between them, punctuated when Shikamaru exhaled, polluting the air with hazy, grey smoke. He flicked the ashes from the end of his cigarette to the ground. "We haven't gotten off to the best start this time around, have we?"

"Nope."

"Three days?"

"Mmhm." Temari nodded.

Shikamaru frowned, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward. He brought his cigarette back up to his lips. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Temari blurted out, blindsided.

"This one's on me. I know it." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm willing to admit it. I can't spend three days in a stalemate."

"Fair enough," Temari relented. It wasn't fun to walk on eggshells around one another. Neither of them was suited to it. "You know, it isn't going to take us three days to iron this out."

"What're you suggesting?"

"It can wait until tomorrow."

Shikamaru wasn't about to protest. He was confident enough that he didn't think they needed to go over the exam at all. All the same, if Gaara and Kankuro were working, he knew they'd get an earful from both kage if they were caught slacking off. "Shogi?"

"Why would I want to play a game you know you're going to win?"

He shrugged. "Go?"

Temari shook her head as she closed her notebook. "Fine."

Shikamaru stood up and dropped his cigarette, extinguishing it with his shoe. "Who knows, maybe we'll get everything sorted tonight."

"You just want to get it done so you don't have to work the next two days."

"Guilty."

* * *

Temari turned her piece over between her fingers, studying the board. She settled on her move and set down her white marker, flipping over Shikamaru's black pieces that she'd taken. She appreciated the silence. The two shinobi sat on the outside walkway, out of the sun. The breeze was light, and she assumed they were the only ones at the Nara residence.

She felt comfortable. Her fan leaned against a wooden pillar, out of the way. Shikamaru had taken off his vest, and he hunched over the board, his cheek in his palm. This was their fifth game. Even though they'd agreed not to keep score, both mentally weighed their wins and losses.

Shikamaru's piece clinked against the board, and he flipped several of her white pieces over to black. Temari made a face, puffing out her right cheek in annoyance. At this point, there wasn't any reason to continue this round. "Four-two," she declared, sweeping half the pieces off the board and into her open palm.

"What happened to not keeping score?"

"As if you weren't."

He'd been caught, but he wasn't ashamed of it. Meditatively, he set the board up for another game. He was enjoying himself, more than he had in a while. The fact that they hadn't fought was a miracle, but he wasn't going to complain. Between the two of them, they had finished everything Gaara expected of them. Pridefully, he thought, _That's what happens when you get the best mind of Suna and Konoha on a team_.

"So," Temari interrupted his thoughts. "Did you arrange for us to stay somewhere, or will we be staying with the Akimichi clan?" Her words were barbed, but only playfully.

"I've taken care of it." Shikamaru assured her, sidestepping her snide remark.

It was Temari's turn to start the game, but she set her pieces to the side instead. "I'm not leaving until I bathe in the hot springs."

Her demand was her way of making a request, and Shikamaru had known her long enough to understand what she meant. "I'll take you tomorrow."

"We should invite Ino and Choji."

Shikamaru sat up straight, surprised. Temari was picky when it came to company. For her to suggest inviting his teammates was new, and very unexpected. Temari caught on to his confusion, mildly amused.

"I enjoyed their company last night," she explained.

"Huh. Alright." It would be nice to have Choji come along, Shikamaru decided. It wasn't as though they'd take advantage of the mixed bathing, and he wouldn't enjoy himself as much if he were alone.

"We have to invite Gaara and Kankuro," Temari mused. "I'll never hear the end of it if we don't."

Shikamaru groaned, and Temari knew why. If Gaara came along, it was likely that Naruto and Lee would find excuses to tag along with them. It mattered little to Temari, but that was because she wouldn't have to deal with them. Shikamaru, on the other hand, would get a strong dose of both hyperactive ninja.

"They might not come," she pointed out, in a rare attempt to placate him. "I doubt they're finished with what they need to do here."

"I hope," Shikamaru said bluntly, only because he knew she wouldn't take offense. "Oh, by the way." He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a key. "This is yours. We had to put you three up in different apartments this time; there wasn't anything with three rooms."

"You know, I'm okay with that." Temari took the key from him, tucking it away for safekeeping. "Kankuro snores." That also meant that she wouldn't have to worry about her brothers. They could do what they wanted without having to move as a group, just like they could in Suna.

Shikamaru grinned when he saw her laugh to herself. He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took and allowed him to help her to her feet. He pulled on his vest as she secured her fan to her back. "Shall we?"


	3. Who Invited Him

_**Chapter Three: Who Invited**_ **Him**

Ino sat down on the edge of the spring, letting her feet dangle into the hot water. Her pale skin made her overheat more easily, and she'd learned her lesson the hard way several years ago. She secured her towel around her torso before placing her hands on the ground on either side of her hips, leaning back into the sun. When Shikamaru had invited her, she was surprised, and even more so when she heard that it was Temari's idea. The sand kunoichi had always seemed annoyed by her. Sure, Ino knew she was rather feminine. She liked talking about boys and arranging flowers in her family shop. But Temari was… intense. Not intense in the way Naruto was, but in a serious way. Maybe that's what happened to women in a kage bloodline; Lady Tsunade could be the same.

Well, there were certainly a few perks to spending time with royalty. When the kazekage introduced himself to the owner of the springs, they'd been given the rest of the day to themselves, at her insistence. It was clear that Gaara was uncomfortable with the treatment, but Naruto's elation had drowned him out. Ino took a moment to appreciate the quiet; it looked like the guys weren't done showering. She was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

Sakura had waded into the water until it reached mid-calf. She leaned against the edge of the spring, close enough to talk to Ino. "This is nice," she commented, referring both to the spring and their solitude.

"Yeah, it is." Ino agreed. "Must be great to have these perks, huh, Temari?"

She was interrupted by shouting from the other side of the fence. So much for the serenity.

Temari turned to look at her new friend, puzzled. "No, this doesn't happen too often," she admitted. "I'm treated much better here than at home. I think that goes for all three of us."

"Huh," Sakura mused. "That's surprising."

"Not really. When your brother is a jinchuuriki, things can be pretty biased." Temari stripped herself of her towel unabashedly and waded waist-deep.

 _Difference in villages_ , Ino mused, surprised at how comfortable the sand ninja seemed to be. She caught herself staring at Temari, having noticed a long scar that ran down her left side, from just below her breast to her natural waistline.

Temari knew what Ino had been looking at. She'd had it so long that she forgot it was there. She lifted her left arm slightly, taking a glance at the discolored stripe of skin.

Ino received a sharp elbow to the ribs from Sakura, who glared at her before turning to Temari, ashamed. "Sorry about her. She didn't mean anything by it, really."

Ino was about to retort that she didn't need Sakura to apologize for her, but Temari spoke first.

"It's fine. I know it's hard to miss." Temari waved her hand dismissively, refusing to take it personally.

"Do you… mind if I ask?" Sakura questioned. "It's just that I'm training to be a medical ninja, and-"

"You don't need a reason. When my brothers and I were still genin, before we met all of you, we were training for the chunin exams in the demon desert. I ended up on the wrong side of a giant scorpion."

"A scorpion did that?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"What? No." Temari turned a quarter rotation, baring her right shoulder. A faint mark lingered on her skin. "It caught me here. Really nasty poison, though."

Both Sakura and Ino nodded, recalling the creatures from their brief time in Suna's wilderness.

"No, this," Temari gestured at her side, "was Gaara."

Ino was taken aback. Everyone in the Leaf knew that the kazekage was the one tails' jinchuuriki, after what had happened at the chunin exam several years ago. "Gaara?"

"He couldn't stop the one tails. He flew into one of his rages. I'm almost positive he was trying to protect me. But I got caught in the crossfire… The poison was bad enough, but I almost bled out in the desert. Thankfully, Baki knew better than to leave us unsupervised." Temari hesitated. "I don't mention it to Gaara. Our father was furious. That… was not a good night."

Ino and Sakura looked at her in silence, unsure of how to respond. Temari's life experiences were so different from their own. Sakura felt immensely guilty for asking. "Temari, I-"

"It's fine," she insisted. "That was a long time ago, before he learned how to control the demon. Besides," she glanced at the fence that separated the springs, "he's still my baby brother."

* * *

Gaara sank down into the hot water, enjoying how it helped loosen the tight muscles in his back and neck. His insomnia had gone on for so long that it was easy to forget what it was like not to be in pain.

" _Yaaaaaaa-hooooo!_ "

Gaara's arms flew up to cover his face as Naruto threw himself into the water, creating a splash large enough to hit everyone in the spring.

"Damn it, Naruto," Shikamaru complained, wringing out his now-damp towel.

"Calm down," Kankuro scolded, narrowing his eyes at the knuckleheaded ninja. "We're here to relax, remember?"

"Aww, you're no fun." Naruto complained as he resurfaced.

"You call that a splash?!" Lee called from the doorway.

"No!" Shikamaru shouted, whipping around and pointing at Lee.

His fellow ninja seemed crestfallen, but he did as he was told and simply walked into the spring. Shikamaru let out a breath, and he heard Kankuro chuckling to himself. "Why did you two have to tag along?" he groaned, looking at Naruto and Lee. With those two, he never had to worry about coming across as rude.

"Why would I miss a day with good friends?" Lee countered. He'd bounced back quickly, in the way that only he could manage.

"Right!" Naruto agreed. "And besides," he grinned evilly. "Sakura's on the other side of the fence."

"You're one creepy kid, you know that?" Kankuro eyed Naruto warily. "And don't even try it. My sister's over there, and I _will_ kick your ass."

"Who're you calling creepy, puppet boy?" Naruto challenged, stepping up to a fight that he wasn't prepared for.

"Naruto," Gaara rasped, breaking his friend's attention away from his older brother.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto grumbled, allowing himself to sink down into the water. He glanced mischievously at the hole in the fence, tempted. Damn it, why wasn't there anyone here who would back him up on this? He was stuck with a group of losers and goodie-two-shoes.

As Shikamaru expected, Naruto and Lee stuck close enough to Gaara to be his shadows. It was funny to watch, if only because he wasn't a part of it. The kazekage didn't seem to mind, but Shikamaru didn't know if that was patience or a complete lack of understanding. At the very least, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Shikamaru sat down in the water, using an outcropping in the rock as a seat. He looked over at Kankuro, who was leaning against the wall and looking up at the sky. "You know, you look a lot different without your face paint."

"And you look a lot different with your hair down."

"Fair enough." Shikamaru followed Kankuro's gaze upward, and the two watched the sky in silence.

Meanwhile, Lee was talking to – or rather, at – Gaara, speaking enough for the both of them. To his benefit, Gaara seemed interested in the one-sided conversation, nodding along as Lee prattled on about his newest jutsu.

And no one, in their musings, had remembered to keep an eye on Naruto.

His face was pressed against the fence, as close as he could physically position himself. His hands braced himself on either side of his head against the wood. "Whoa, Temari's scar is huge!"

Shikamaru's head snapped so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash. Scar? What scar? He'd never noticed a scar.

"Naruto!" Lee scolded, standing up in the water.

Kankuro was the quickest to move. He grabbed the ninja by his shaggy, blonde hair and forced him down into the water. Unceremoniously, he yanked him back up. "You little brat!" he began to shout, but he chose instead to dunk Naruto back under the water. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Naruto gasped for air, but Kankuro shoved him down once more before he could respond. "You know what? I don't wanna hear it!"

"Kankuro!" Gaara snapped as he gripped his much larger brother's arm. With Lee's help, the two managed to free Naruto.

"I told him I'd kick his ass!"

"I think near-drowning counts," Shikamaru commented, although he kept his distance. When Kankuro rounded on him, he held up his hands, palms-out. "Hey, I'm with you on this one."

"It's not like I was _trying_ to spy on her!" Naruto attempted to defend himself. "She was standing in the way! There's no way I could have missed it!"

Gaara closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His friend was an idiot. He let go of his brother, earning a confused look from Lee, who followed his lead and did the same. Even he knew better than to get into the middle of this.

* * *

"I'm going to kill that little pervert!" Sakura bellowed, clenching her fist in anger. She had jumped to her feet, and she looked as though she was considering going over the fence to make good on her word.

"Great…" Temari murmured, gritting her teeth as she wrapped herself in her towel. This was the last thing she needed. She wondered if Sakura could hit him hard enough to erase her nakedness from Naruto's short-term memory. Otherwise, this would certainly stick around to haunt her.

"We're so sorry, Temari. We should have known." Ino apologized, seething in her own anger but trying to de-escalate the situation.

Temari could hear her brother shouting, unable to make out his exact words. "It'll be fine. That's what Kankuro and Gaara are for. And that's before we get our say." Her voice was dark and threatening. Ino wondered if Temari actually planned on killing him.

Temari was mostly concerned about Gaara finding out about her scar. She had done her best to keep him in the dark about it. He'd feel guilty, and Temari felt that he had enough guilt in his life already. "Well, so much for that," she mused bitterly, wishing that she and Shikamaru had kept the excursion between the two of them. Still, she had no one to blame but herself.

It didn't take long for the three kunoichi to clothe themselves and leave the bath, but there was no sign of their male companions. At Sakura's suggestion, they sat down at one of the wooden tables out front. The sun was beginning to set and the air was becoming cool. Still, Temari absentmindedly fanned herself with the small, folding fan she kept on her person. She generously allowed Sakura and Ino to pass it around as well.

"So," Ino broke the silence, "is everything ready for the chunin exam?"

"On our end, at least." Temari confirmed. "Mine and Shikamaru's, I mean. I haven't had a chance to talk to Gaara or Kankuro about the rest."

"Shikamaru?" Sakura asked.

"He's helping proctor the first, written exam portion," Temari explained. In a slightly annoyed tone, she added, "He refuses to show me the questions he's made up."

Ino arched an eyebrow. "Aaaand you're okay with this?"

"Should I not be?"

"He kinda forgot you at the gate…"

Sakura looked at Ino in surprise; Ino signaled that she would explain later.

"I trust him," Temari declared. She was caught off guard by the way her fellow kunoichi looked at her when she said it, and she suddenly became rather self-conscious. Her cheeks tinged a light pink in embarrassment at being examined so intensely.

Much to her relief, she caught sight of Gaara and the others. Kankuro stalked angrily over to his sister, making himself appear as large as possible in front of Naruto. Everyone else, for the most part, had seemed to calm down. Shikamaru's face was unreadable. Naruto, on the other hand, was trying to conceal a very conspicuous black eye and bloody nose.

"Serves you right," Sakura declared before grabbing her teammate by the ear. She dragged him off, and Naruto's voice broke in between protests and pleads for mercy.

Lee grimaced in pity, torn because he knew it was deserved, but it was still harsh. He took it upon himself to lighten the mood. "Would anyone like to get dinner? We could go to the new curry restaurant."

Gaara nodded. "I could eat."

"Same." Kankuro felt his stomach growl.

"We could stop by Choji's and invite him. He's been wanting to try that place," Ino suggested.

"I think I'm going to skip tonight," Temari declined. No one tried to press her. She'd had enough for the day.

"I'll walk you home," Shikamaru offered.

"Should we save you a seat?" Ino asked her teammate.

"Nah. I'll go some other time."

The group parted ways, and Lee was lost in conversation with Gaara and Ino, thinking of who they could invite to join them.

Temari took a moment to close her eyes, and she felt her body relax. Finally, she was alone. Well, not exactly. Wordlessly, she started off down the road, in the opposite direction of her brothers. Shikamaru kept pace beside her.

Eventually, Temari asked, "Who hit him?"

"I did," Shikamaru admitted. He looked over at her, and she was staring at him, wide-eyed. That was a first.

"Not Kankuro?"

"No, your brother just about drowned him, though."

"You're telling me that you actually punched Naruto in the face. You."

"He pissed me off. Why's that so hard to believe?"

"Hm." Temari shrugged her shoulders and looked ahead once more. She tried, and failed, to keep a satisfied smile from showing on her face. _Well, I'll be damned._

The two climbed up the stairs to her usual room, neither bothering to break the silence between them. Temari inserted her key into the lock and opened the front door to the small apartment. She didn't bother to close it behind her, a signal that Shikamaru could follow her inside. He did just that and closed the door before taking off his shoes.

"What do you want to eat?" Temari asked, pulling out a stack of menus from local restaurants.

"I thought you weren't hungry."

"I wasn't hungry enough to eat with my brothers," she corrected. "If you don't want to stay, that's fine. I _was_ going to buy your dinner to say thanks for sucker-punching a junchuuriki on my behalf…"

He chuckled, appreciative of the gesture. If he was honest with himself, he was happier to eat with only Temari than with a large group. Her behavior changed greatly when they had company other than themselves, even when it was her brothers. He had yet to figure that one out. "I'll stay," he told her, realizing only after he said it that she never doubted he would.

"Here." Temari shoved the thick stack of menus into his hands. "You pick. I don't care what we eat."

Shikamaru threw himself down on the couch, making himself comfortable. He glanced at the names on each menu, trying to find something that sounded appetizing. "Ichiraku delivers," he suggested, glancing over his shoulder.

"That's fine," Temari called from the next room. When she reappeared, she had changed into loose-fitting pants, much like Tenten's. Her shirt appeared to be one of the long-sleeved ones issued with the Suna ninja gear.

"That's new," Shikamaru commented.

"I don't plan on leaving," she explained, although she knew she didn't have to. She sat on the other end of the couch and took the menu from him, looking over her options. Her attention was pulled away when she noticed Shikamaru looking at her. It didn't seem like he knew what he was doing. He had a puzzled look on his face, and his eyes were slightly narrowed. She waited a moment to see if he would snap out of it. "Can I help you?"

"Oh," Shikamaru realized what he was doing and immediately shifted his gaze out the window. "Sorry."

"No, what?" she pried, surprised by his unusual behavior.

Uncomfortable, Shikamaru coughed into his hand. "Naruto might have mentioned you have a scar." He mentally berated himself for saying so. How rude could he possibly be?

"You want to see it." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Well, no, I-"

Temari smirked, entertained that she had made him flustered. Shikamaru wasn't an easy man to shake. If she was honest with herself, she enjoyed it more than she could admit. She also knew that, if they were going to get past this particular hangup any time soon, it was best to just satisfy his curiosity. She used her hands to gather the fabric at the bottom of her shirt and lifted it up, exposing her abdomen.

Shikamaru's eyes locked onto the scar, well aware that whatever caused it was probably enough to almost kill her. To his relief, the mark wasn't anywhere inappropriate. It occurred to him that he'd simply never seen so much of Temari's skin before. If she dressed like Ino, it would have been obvious. He had the urge to reach out and touch it, but he had far more self-control than that.

"Now you know." Temari straightened her shirt as she pulled it back down.

"I was rude," Shikamaru admitted, suddenly embarrassed by how bold he had been.

"It's not like I go out of my way to hide it." Temari paused before shifting in her seat to face Shikamaru head-on. "Just do me a favor. Don't mention it to Gaara."

"Right."

Temari noticed that his eyes were still fixed on her side. He was a genius; it wouldn't take long for him to figure out where the scar had come from. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she leaned forward and smacked his forehead with the menu. "Now quit being a perv long enough to order our dinner."

Shikamaru stammered, much to her amusement. Her laugh assured him that she was only joking, but he was embarrassed nonetheless. To his shame, she wasn't too far from the truth when it came to his wandering mind at that moment. Trying to save face, he stood and walked to the telephone, which hung on the wall.

"Pork ramen for me!" Temari called, earning a wave of the menu from Shikamaru, whose back was turned to her. Damn it, she was way too troublesome.


	4. Gossip

_**Chapter Four: Gossip**_

Hinata gently shifted the bag of ice she held against Naruto's face, hesitating when he hissed through his teeth. He'd gone for help from Lady Tsunade, but he was swiftly turned away. He wouldn't say why, and that didn't sit well with her. The fifth hokage was a healer; his injuries were mild and shouldn't have been a problem for her. "Stay still," she cautioned, moving the ice nearer to his nose. Her worry was getting the best of her, and she only wanted to help. Her concern took over her usual embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto grumbled, but he did as he was told. Hinata was the only person to take pity on him. As grateful as he was, he was still fuming from last night's incident. "Damn it, the next time I see Shikamaru, I'm gonna kick is ass!"

Hinata lifted the bag of ice so she could study the bruise on his face. "Shikamaru hit you?" She couldn't believe it. He was the last one to get involved in anything rambunctious. It just wasn't like him. "What happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it." Naruto took the ice pack from her and held it against his eye.

"Naruto…" Hinata sighed in disappointment. She could understand if he and Kiba got into a fight, or even he and Neji. But Shikamaru was the most level-headed out of the rookie nine. As much as she hated to admit it, she had a feeling that, whatever went down, this was somehow Naruto's fault.

"What?"

"Nothing." She took the ice pack from him and shifted it gently. _I worry about you_ , she admitted mentally. "I need to get you some more ice."

* * *

Three knocks in rapid succession sounded on the door to Temari's small apartment. Even though it was almost noon, Temari had yet to spur herself to get dressed. She and Shikamaru had stayed up far too late the night before. In their defense, the pile of papers on her kitchen table held all their preparations for the chunin exam. All the numbers were run and contingency plans had been made, just like Gaara had asked. She knew that, if they'd taken care of the minute details the first day, they wouldn't have stayed up until the early hours of the morning just to make sure it was done before she left. He seemed to have that effect on her, though. As far as she was concerned, if they met the deadline, they were in the clear.

However, this meant that she hadn't fallen asleep until just before sunrise. Five hours was enough sleep, but she would have preferred to err closer to eight before having to spend time with the rambunctious ninja of Konoha. Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and shuffled to the door. Rather than look through the peep hole, she opened it, surprised to see a well-groomed, bright-eyed Sakura on her doorstep. Temari stifled a yawn, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Oh," Sakura was taken by surprise. "Did I wake you?"

Temari shook her head. "It's fine. What do you need?"

"I just wanted to apologize again for Naruto's behavior. He can be a real ass." She held up the basket she'd been carrying and peeled back a corner of the flower-printed cloth. "I made you some muffins."

"Why are you apologizing for him?" Temari asked bluntly, catching her off guard. "He's your teammate, not your son. You don't have to do any of this."

"I insist," Sakura pressed, giving Temari no choice but to take the basket. When the sand ninja went to set the basket on the table, she decided that it would be alright to invite herself inside. "Someone has to. He doesn't have family, after all."

Caught off guard by her uninvited guest, Temari didn't really know what to say. There wasn't exactly a polite way to tell her to leave, especially after she went through the trouble to bring a gift that was fresh out of the oven. She may have gotten closer to Ino during her visit, but she still hadn't had much interaction with Sakura. Before she could find the right words, Sakura had taken a seat at her kitchen table, brazenly thumbing through the documents that she and Shikamaru had written the night before.

"It looks like you've thought of everything," Sakura commented.

If this is how leaf ninja showed friendship, it was completely alien to Temari. The more she visited, the bolder they seemed to get. She'd always preferred her privacy, but it seemed like Konoha had an open-door policy. To that extent, Sakura hadn't bothered to shut the front door when she entered, creating a bizarre uncertainty about whether she was staying or leaving. "I-"

"Damn, something smells good."

Sakura looked past Temari and saw a sleepy-eyed Shikamaru standing in a doorway, already inside the apartment. His black hair was loose, falling down to his shoulders. He was wearing the same clothes that she had seen him in the day before. Obliviously, he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a deadlock with Sakura. Both their faces were expressionless, like they'd stopped being able to think for the moment. Temari looked over Sakura's head at Shikamaru, trying to keep from panicking. Sakura was smart; she probably wouldn't rush to any conclusions.

"Oh, my god, I'm so sorry!" The kunoichi practically flew up out of her chair.

 _Fuck!_ Temari swore before attempting damage control. "Sakura!"

"I'm so sorry!" she repeated, grabbing the knob to the front door. "I'll just come back later!" She shut the door with more force than she intended.

Temari's face was bright-red as she stood by the kitchen table, in complete disbelief at what just happened. Shikamaru groaned, looking skyward as if for guidance.

"Great. She's probably on her way to see Ino right now." He searched his person for his cigarettes, frustrated when he couldn't find them. They had to be here somewhere…

"But-" Temari stammered, "It's not like anything _happened._ We worked late, that's all!"

Shikamaru lowered himself to the ground to look under the couch. "Tema," he caught her off guard by abbreviating her name, "she saw me come out of your room."

"You slept on the floor!"

"She doesn't know that." He sighed and scratched the back of his head. He began to retrace his steps.

"Oh, god," Temari groaned as she sank down onto one of the kitchen chairs.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. The entire village is gonna know about this before lunch. And after I punched Naruto yesterday…"

This was exactly the type of scandal that they'd needed to avoid. She could hear it now: Suna's princess sleeping with head of prominent Konoha clan. This could be the chance the Suna elders had been waiting for; what better proof could they have to question not only her loyalty to the village, but Gaara's?

Shikamaru spotted his cigarettes on the kitchen counter, much to his relief. He drew one out of the pack and lit it, inhaling to steady his nerves.

"How are you not freaking out about this?!" Temari snapped, irritated by his calm demeanor. "You're the genius, figure something out!"

Shikamaru grimaced. "You don't need to yell. Besides, there's nothing I can do about it. It's up to Ino."

The way Temari looked at him prompted him to explain.

"If Ino doesn't believe Sakura, it stops right there. If she _does_ … there's no point in trying to stop it."

"You're telling me we're at the mercy of Ino Yamanaka."

"Pretty much."

"Fuck me," Temari rested her head on the table.

"I think that would just cause more problems," Shikamaru remarked snidely, trying to cheer her up. He usually would never make a joke like that, but, at this point, he was desperate. "Dammit, I was kidding!" he tried to defend himself, using his arms to deflect the muffin speeding toward his face.

"It's not funny!"

* * *

"What?" Ino cried, incredulous. "No way."

Sakura nodded, panting too hard to articulate a response.

"But it's Shikamaru. _Shikamaru!"_

"You think I'd run here if I was lying?" Sakura insisted before grabbing her friend by the wrist. She pulled Ino into the back of the flower shop, where they could talk more freely. "I'm telling you what I saw!"

"Noooo," Ino shook her head, not able to believe her best friend. "I mean… _Shikamaru!_ "

"I know! Why would I make this up? And I haven't even told you that Naruto said it was Shikamaru who gave him that black eye!"

"He _what?!"_

"Apparently Naruto said something stupid when they were inside. He wouldn't tell me what; he was trying to save his ass. But, whatever it was, it made Shikamaru walk up to him and punch him - _bam!_ \- right in the face!"

" _No."_

"Yes!"

"Oh, my god." Ino had never seen Shikamaru have an impulsive reaction, and she'd known him since they were kids. "Did he really?"

"Dumb as he is, I don't think Naruto was lying. He was too confused to be angry, which is saying something. I don't think he'd have been that way if it was anyone else, even Gaara. No one's ever made Shikamaru that mad before."

"If anyone could do it, it's Naruto." Ino crossed her arms over her apron. "I don't know, Sakura."

"Why would I make this up?" Sakura countered. "Starting a rumor about Shikamaru is like starting one about Shino. There would be no point!"

Ino clicked her tongue and began to think. "Temari _was_ pretty pissed when Shikamaru didn't show up when they got here… But then why would they invite all of us to the hot spring?"

"Cover?" Sakura suggested. "I'm serious. Yesterday's clothes and everything."

"But it's _Shikamaru!_ There's no way Temari'd go for him! She's got, like, three points on him, easy! And there's no way it's his personality."

"We still don't really know her that well. Maybe she's got a type?"

"But it's not fair! How come Shikamaru gets someone before we do?!"

The bell that hung over the door rang, signaling that a customer had either entered or left. Ino composed herself and glided back out into the shopfront, putting on her best smile. Sakura followed close behind her, still not finished with their conversation.

"Oh, hey, Choji," Ino greeted her teammate. He didn't seem to be very interested in the flowers, and she followed, "What's up?"

"Hey, guys," Choji offered them a good-natured smile. "Ino, have you seen Shikamaru? Yoshino came over this morning to see if he crashed at my place. She's pretty pissed."

Ino looked over at Sakura. They shared a brief glance before she turned back to Choji. "No, I haven't."

"He stayed the night at Temari's!" Sakura blurted out. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, and Ino smacked her best friend on top of her head.

"Idiot!"

"He did?" Choji asked, more surprised than anything else.

Sakura nodded, flinching away from Ino's fist.

Choji frowned and leaned forward onto the counter, bringing his face level with Ino's and Sakura's. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"No," Sakura admitted.

"Don't say anything to anyone, okay? This doesn't leave the three of us."

"Why, Choji?" Ino asked.

"Really? We're talking about the daughter of the fourth kazekage and the sister of the fifth. Shikamaru's the advisor to the fifth hokage. How do you think people would react? Besides, until I hear it from Shikamaru himself, I can't really know if that's what's going on."

"I didn't think about that," Sakura admitted.

"Just swear to me that you two won't say anything."

Ino and Sakura nodded in unison.

"Oh, and Ino," Choji added, "do me a favor. If Yashino or Shikaku stops by, and they ask, tell 'em Shikamaru fell asleep outside again."

* * *

Shikamaru was on his third cigarette in a row. Once Temari had decided to stop using their breakfast as projectiles, things had calmed down to an uneasy silence. There was no way to tell what Sakura and Ino would do. Even though he considered Ino one of his closest friends, she had an urge to gossip, and he wasn't sure if that side of her would win.

Troublesome women aside, he'd been seen by too many people the day before to just walk out into broad daylight wearing yesterday's clothes. He was probably in enough trouble for not coming home last night; he didn't need to deal with his mother's rage or his father's assumptions.

Out of a mutual desire for space, Temari had gone to take a shower, granting them both several minutes of silence. They needed to think.

He'd groomed himself as best he could by using the small, living room mirror, managing to at least pull his hair back up. His clothes smelled like the onsen and cigarette smoke, but there was nothing he could do about that one.

It was late enough in the afternoon that, if he was lucky, he might be able to slip out unnoticed. If Gaara and Kankuro were where they were supposed to be, he could make it onto the street. Getting home, well, that was another challenge.

Best case scenario, he would have to avoid being seen by Ino or Sakura, or anyone else who he'd been with the day before. Then, he would have to make it to his room without either of his parents noticing. A quick change of clothes, and maybe he could save his ass.

But in the worst case scenario, Sakura and Ino could have gossiped to most of the village by now.

He flicked his ashes into the tray he held in his left hand. How did this turn into such a drag? They'd gotten ahead in their work, and all it did was bite them.

He heard Temari approaching before he saw her. She was dressed in her usual clothing, but her wet hair hung down over her shoulders, which she had draped in a towel to keep her clothes dry. She stood beside him at the window, following his gaze. Wordlessly, she picked up the pack of cigarettes from the windowsill and pulled one out. In a brazen move, she took the liberty of pulling his lighter from his pocket and flicked it open.

Shikamaru looked at her in utter surprise. She set Asuma's lighter down beside his pack and took the cigarette between her fingers, removing it from her mouth. In a cloud of smoke, she challenged, "I don't want to hear it."

Fair enough, he supposed. They hadn't been awake for more than four hours, but today was already more stressful than any other day either of them had passed that year. The pair resumed their silence, and Shikamaru couldn't help feeling like they were staged in some black-and-white noir movie.

Temari steeled herself when she heard a knock on the front door. "Hide," she told Shikamaru, unwilling to make the same mistake twice. He did as he was told, slipping into the bedroom and out of sight. This time, Temari made sure to look through the lens before opening the door. The fish-eye lens distorted Choji's round face as he tried to look into the apartment through the peephole. There was no telling how this was going to go.

Temari opened the front door, this time placing herself between it and the rest of her apartment. "Choji," she feigned surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Shikamaru."

Well, he didn't beat around the bush. Wary of what he'd been told, she lied "He isn't here."

Choji looked at her in disappointment before his eyes darted pointedly to the cigarette between the fingers of her right hand, which rested on her hip in plain sight. "I'm chubby, not stupid. Look, I brought him a change of clothes."

"Man, you're a lifesaver!" Shikamaru exclaimed as he walked out into the kitchen.

Temari ushered Choji into the apartment and shut the door behind him. Shikamaru gratefully took the bundle of clothes from his friend.

"Your mom's pissed," Choji informed him. "She came over to my place looking for you."

"Dammit," Shikamaru swore. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Ino-"

"Son of a bitch."

"You're lucky I found her when I did. I swore her and Sakura to secrecy. You're welcome, by the way."

"Man, I owe you one." Shikamaru tugged the clean shirt down over his head.

"Anything for you. You know that."

Temari let out an audible sigh of relief and let herself fall onto the couch. "Choji-"

"No need to thank me," Choji interrupted. "I get it, so I didn't let things get out of control. Consider this a payback for Gaara covering our barbecue tab."

"You're a good man, Choji." Shikamaru clapped his best friend on the shoulder. He turned to Temari, who waved her hand.

"Go. You've got damage control to do, and it's probably better if I'm not there."

"Everyone was planning to get together for dinner to send you and your brothers off," Choji mentioned. "You wanna come?"

Temari smiled to herself before telling him "Sure. When?"

"I'll come get you," Shikamaru offered, earning him a sly look from his teammate. "It wouldn't look right if I didn't, being your escort and all." He reached for his lighter and cigarettes, but Temari slapped his hand away. He arched an eyebrow at her, offended.

"Consider it insurance," she mused. "After what you've put me through today, it's a safe bet."

"Yeah, yeah." Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets and headed to the front door. "Just don't smoke 'em all."

Choji closed the door behind him and followed his best friend down the steps. "So…" he pried cautiously as they headed down the street. "You and her…?"

"No." Shikamaru informed him.

"But you'd tell me, right?"

"Yeah."

Choji smiled, happy that Shikamaru confirmed what he'd thought. As his best friend, he would have been hurt if he'd been left out of the loop. Evilly, he added, "Do you want to?"

"Go home, Choji."


	5. Let the Chunin Exam Begin!

_**Chapter Five: Let the Chunin Exam Begin!**_

Temari kept her eyes on the west, watching as the beginnings of a sandstorm began to brew. Most of the genin and their jonin captains had made it inside the village walls, but they were waiting on a few stragglers. A squad from the Village Hidden in the Clouds had, apparently, been slowed down by an injury, and sent their comrades on ahead. In her opinion, it would have been best for them to turn back; no genin who was hurt before the exam even started stood a chance.

She glanced down at the clipboard in her hand. They had two hours. Any squads that arrived after that time limit were automatically disqualified.

A gust of wind whipped grains of sand against the exposed skin of her calves, pulling her attention back to the storm. In reality, they had one hour. If that storm hit before the rest of the squads arrived, Suna would have to send a handful of units into the weather. It'd be a miracle to find anyone at that point.

She untied her headband from around her neck and repositioned it, using the black cloth to cover her mouth and nose. She tied the ends securely behind her head. Her breath was hot against the fabric, but that was a small price to pay to keep the grit out of her lungs.

Kankuro was busy registering the squads that had already arrived, and Baki took charge of leading the squads to their lodgings. So far, everything was running smoothly.

Her eyes scanned the vast desert from her place at the top of the wall, searching for stragglers. One squad from the Cloud, two from the Mist, and one from the Rain. Twelve genin. If none of them arrived, the exam would be the smallest in recent memory.

To her relief, she spotted a small group approaching from the east, sticking close to the outer wall. Eight forms. From this distance, it was hard to see, but it was clear that they were the two teams from the Village Hidden in the Mist. That brought the number of missing genin from twelve to six. When the group entered through the gate, she pulled a pen out of her pocket and scribbled on the clipboard.

Footsteps echoed up the stone wall, coming from her left. Temari looked over at her new companion, surprised to see that Shikamaru had joined her. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, the movements of her lips hidden behind her makeshift mask.

"The deadline's almost up," Shikamaru informed her. She doubted that someone had actually sent him to tell her that information.

"I know. The Hidden Mist just arrived." She showed him the clipboard. "You should go inside. There's a sandstorm coming, and it's going to be strong."

"You're still out here."

Temari fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm a Suna nin, Crybaby. I know how to deal with a storm like this."

"You don't give me nearly enough credit," Shikamaru complained as he took a Suna-issue mask from his pocket. He secured it across his face before explaining, "Your sensei told all of us to take one."

It was just like Baki to be one step ahead of everyone else. She allowed Shikamaru to study the list, taking the opportunity to look over the desert once more. There was no sign of the other teams. In the west, the sandstorm was picking up speed, and she could already hear the howling.

"This isn't good," Shikamaru commented gravely.

"No, it's not." Temari crossed her arms below her chest. "I'm hoping that the Cloud squad had enough sense to turn back; one of them is injured. And with only one squad coming from the Rain, there's no way to know their status."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'll keep looking until the storm is about to hit. If I see any stragglers, we'll send a unit to retrieve them. If not, we're not risking any of our ninja for a slight chance." It seemed harsh, but with the possibility that the last two squads might not come at all, it was senseless to endanger their own ninja on a whim.

If that was the case, Shikamaru thought, she could use all the help she could get. Two sets of eyes were better than one. The next several minutes passed in a tense silence, the only sound the increasing volume of wind in the distance.

"Found them," Shikamaru declared, gesturing off to the north. A small squad of four was running toward the wall with everything they had. They were making good time.

Temari watched them carefully, relaxing once they had entered the shadow of the wall. "And that's the Rain." As Shikamaru scratched out that squad on the list, she looked over his shoulder. "Come on. We need to get inside. At this rate, even if the Cloud is coming, they won't be in range before the storm hits. If they're smart, they'll have enough sense to stay out of it."

After slipping through the door, Temari took a moment to fix her headband and to brush the sand out of her hair. Shikamaru followed her lead, shoving the mask back into his pocket before swiping ineffectively at his hair. "Come here," Temari put a hand on the back of his head and tilted him downward, far enough that she could help him. Her touch made the short hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he could only hope she wouldn't notice. "We'll be here all night if you try to do it yourself."

She was probably right, and Shikamaru knew it. "Thanks," he offered once she'd let go of him.

"Now come on. We need to meet up with the rest of the proctors."

* * *

Kankuro was acting as registration detail, preferring to work in the background rather than proctor. He wasn't great with kids. Genin were hardly children, and they certainly weren't coddled, but Kankuro simply didn't have enough patience to hold a conversation with one. At least he recognized this quality in himself and stepped to the side.

Gaara wasn't much better, but he was the kazekage. It would reflect poorly on the village if he didn't put in any effort. He looked over at his sister when he saw her enter the atrium, and he nodded to the ninja standing by the front door. On his signal, the doors clicked shut, shielding everyone within from the approaching storm. He excused himself from talking to a Suna jonin and wove his way through the crowd, stopping when he reached Temari.

"Everyone's accounted for other than the injured squad from the Cloud," Temari informed him, taking the clipboard from Shikamaru and handing it to her younger brother.

"It can't be helped," Gaara rasped as his pale eyes scanned the paper. "I need both of you to help Baki organize the genin. I want them to have time to bring their things to their rooms before we provide dinner."

"Did you rehearse your speech?" Temari asked, momentarily slipping into older-sister mode. It was easy to forget that Gaara was the kazekage at times.

Thankfully, Gaara was more amused than offended. "Unfortunately," he quipped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a different jonin trying to get his attention. "And that's me." He turned away from his sister and disappeared into the crowd once more.

"I don't think I've heard him joke before," Shikamaru remarked.

"Enjoy it. He only jokes once every five years." Temari caught sight of her sensei and made her way across the room, Shikamaru on her heels.

"Great," Baki remarked when he saw his reinforcements. "This is like herding cats. Here, you two can take this half of the list."

Temari took the piece of paper from him, reading the first set of names. "Got it."

"Akemi, Saburo, Komako!" Baki called, his voice ringing throughout the room. A group of Cloud genin made their way to him, and he led the way out of the hall.

Taking Baki's lead, Temari raised her voice and called out "Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi!"

Shikamaru looked over at the piece of paper she held. So, those three were finally old enough to take the exam. They were fresh out of the academy… something told him that Konohamaru urged his teammates into taking the exam their first year, just like Naruto had done.

"Hey, it's big brother Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru looked down in front of him, greeted by Konohamaru's toothy grin. Temari began to exit the hall, and he ushered the genin after her, talking as they walked. "Hey, guys."

"What're you doing here? You don't have a squad." Konohamaru remarked, looking up at the jonin.

"I'm helping proctor the exam," Shikamaru explained.

"Sweet! We've got big brother Shikamaru watching our backs!"

Temari let out a short laugh, which made Konohamaru frown.

"What?"

The kid was bold, she'd give him that. But he was rude, and she was ready to put him in his place. "You really don't know what you're up against, do you, kid?"

Konohamaru bristled, glaring at her back. Before he could come up with a retort, she stopped them in their tracks. Temari opened the door to the room marked 302, gesturing inside. "This is your room. Remember the number, and learn where it is. No one's here to babysit you or hold your hand if you get lost. Be back in the atrium in an hour."

She set off down the hallway, leaving the three genin in shock. Konohamaru was fuming, and his mouth opened and closed like a fish as he thought of what he wanted to shout after her. Shikamaru shrugged, looking at the trio with mild pity. "Good luck, guys." With that, he jogged his first few steps until he caught up with the sand kunoichi.

"They're not ready," Temari determined when he caught up with her. "They think you're going to coddle them because you're from the Leaf."

"Give 'em a chance," Shikamaru suggested. "You never know what can happen."

By the time they returned to the atrium, Baki had enlisted the help of anyone who happened to be standing around. The jonin were given their assignments on each floor, placed in rooms that would allow them to keep an eye on the genin.

Kankuro had finished with the registration. He stacked the papers with a look of relief. He had been through his own personal hell and made it to the other side. From here on out, he only had to worry about heading security detail for the kazekage. He handed the papers to his brother, who tucked them away in a file for safekeeping.

"Ah, Shikamaru," Gaara remarked when he caught sight of him. "We've arranged for you to stay in another building. You don't have a squad, and it's probably best if we keep anything related to the first exam as far away from the genin as possible."

Shikamaru couldn't argue with that logic. "Whatever you need."

Kankuro clapped him on the shoulder, something he'd never done before. "You'll be staying with us. We have plenty of room. Besides, no one wants to have to hear dozens of kids for the next few days."

"You're not wrong," he admitted. "Thanks."

"You've got our back, we've got yours." Kankuro assured him.

 _Huh. If I knew punching Naruto would get me this far, I would have done it years ago_ , Shikamaru mused.

"The best part is, as proctors, we don't have to help with any of the festivities," Temari added, smirking at her brothers.

"Don't rub it in," Kankuro complained. Gaara was expected at the welcome dinner, and Kankuro had forgotten that, by extension, he would need to be there, too. "At least we get to eat good food."

"I'd rather survive off of the Akimichi hangover cure than have to deal with that chaos."

Shikamaru looked at Temari, surprised that she'd not only encountered the drink, but was apparently able to stomach it.

"Are you sure there's anything to eat at home?" Gaara asked, genuinely uncertain.

"We have soba, and that's about all anyone needs to whip something up."

"Fair enough." The kazekage glanced at the large clock which decorated the south wall of the atrium. "We need to get going." For his brother's sake, he added, "We'll leave as soon as we can."

* * *

"You really didn't want to go to that dinner," Shikamaru commented as he perused the fridge in the kazekage's kitchen. There wasn't much of anything to be found. Then again, the three siblings were probably rarely home.

"No, I did not." Temari lit the flame on the stove, and the fire licked the bottom of a large pot. "Too many people."

The best Shikamaru could find was a bottle of sauce in the door of the fridge, which he took out before shutting the door. "You guys don't actually live off of food like this, right?"

Temari laughed at the concern in his voice. "No, we don't," she assured him. "I was a little too quick to turn Gaara down."

"Just a bit." Shikamaru searched through the pantry and cabinets, still coming up short. Above the stove, his hand found something tucked away. He stood on his toes and reached up. When he came back down, he held a bottle of sake in each of his hands. He turned to Temari and gestured with the bottles. "Seriously?"

" _You_ try living with my brothers," Temari countered, using that as her reason for both the lack of food and the alcohol he found.

"So we have sake, soba, and some sort of marinade."

"Seems like it."

"Wow."

"At least I'm feeding you."

As Temari read the directions on the pack of soba, Shikamaru took the liberty of opening one of the bottles of sake. To his surprise, he managed to find two cups inside a well-organized cabinet of dishes. He filled both and slid Temari's across the counter before taking a sip of his own. He watched as Temari used her teeth to tear open the plastic packaging. She emptied the bag into the water, turning down the heat as she kept an eye on it.

"So," Temari leaned against the counter, picking up her cup. She avoided eye contact as she asked "Have Choji and Ino said anything?"

"No." Shikamaru set his cup down on the wooden surface. "Not to anyone else, at least."

"Good."

"Hm."

Temari took the bottle from him and refilled her cup before pulling herself up to sit on the countertop.

"I think they're a little disappointed," Shikamaru added nonchalantly. Realizing what he had said, he refilled his cup, drank it, and repeated the process.

Temari turned her face away from him, embarrassed when the fleeting thought crossed her mind that she was, too. Damn it, what was wrong with her? "That's surprising," she deflected.

"Not really. They like you." Shikamaru completely missed the change in her body language.

"Good to know." Temari slid down off the counter and went to take a look inside the pot, even though it hadn't been cooking long enough to need her attention.

Neither of them knew what to say next, and it wasn't a peaceful silence. They were both waiting for the other to say something, although they'd never admit it. They were far too stubborn for that.

A sudden gust of wind slammed against the building, and sand fell like rain against the windows. Shikamaru jumped, caught off guard.

"Don't worry. That happens." Temari assured him. She picked her cup back up and took a long drink. It warmed her down her throat and into her stomach, and she was grateful for the distraction. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the storm," she added tauntingly.

"I can leave, you know."

"Go on, then." Temari smirked as she stared him down, well aware that he wouldn't.

Shikamaru huffed, nonverbally admitting defeat.

They listened to the wind howl as the water boiled, taking turns filling their cups. By the time the soba was cooked, they both had a little too much sake to care just how pathetic the meal was. Abandoning the counter, the two ninja sat on the floor with their bowls and sake cups, hungrily enjoying their food.

Soon, they were exchanging stories.

"No, no," Shikamaru gestured with his chopsticks. "That's not the best part. As soon as he said that, Asuma-sensei walks up to our table and asks 'has anyone seen my wallet?'"

Temari almost dropped her bowl as she fell into a fit of laughter, grabbing her sides. The voice Shikamaru had used to mimic his sensei was too much. Her laugh was contagious, and Shikamaru was soon wiping a tear from his cheek as he hiccoughed for air. He grabbed the neck of the bottle and tilted it to his cup, but nothing came. He upended it, and all that fell out was a drop. He frowned and read the label, paying attention to the volume of the container.

"We probably shouldn't have done that."

He wasn't sure if Temari didn't hear him or if she chose to ignore him. Either way, it took her a little longer to catch her breath. She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees before reaching out and taking the empty bottle from Shikamaru. She eyed it for a moment before confirming, "No, probably not."

Shikamaru took that moment to study her face. Her cheeks were flushed, although his were probably the same. She looked carefree, something that he hadn't seen in her often. She was always worried about something. Her eyes met his as she caught her looking at him. She smiled her wide grin, bearing her teeth, and laughed.

"What?" he asked.

Temari leaned in closer and whispered " _We're going to be so hung over tomorrow._ " She laughed, and, in a normal tone of voice, added, "And we have to give the genin an _exam_."

"Oh, fuck," Shikamaru swore, realizing that she was right. "We're so screwed."

"I know!" Temari seemed to find the situation far funnier than he did.

"You're twisted."

"That's what makes it fun."

Suddenly, Shikamaru became painfully aware that her face was inches from his own. He felt a tension in his stomach, but he made no move to distance himself. His heart began to beat faster. Should he? He wanted to, he could admit that much to himself. Did she want him to? He couldn't quite read the look she wore.

He'd hesitated a moment too long.

"Hey, Temari! We're back!" Kankuro called from the hallway. He was the first to enter the kitchen. "Oh, son of a _bitch._ Gaara!"

Gaara walked in and stood beside his brother, more than a bit confused.

"Damn it, we're gone two hours. The hell, Temari?" Kankuro walked over to his sister and Shikamaru and took the bottle of sake from her hand. "Where did you even find this?"

"Shikamaru did!" Temari informed him, a hint of pride in her voice.

"That's not even close to what I asked," her brother sighed. "You're both wasted."

"They have to be up in eight hours to proctor," Gaara pointed out.

Temari laughed at her brother's serious tone.

"Oh, my god. How is that funny to you?" Kankuro asked, frustrated.

"Please, we'll be fine." Temari used the edge of the kitchen table to lift herself to her feet, almost buckling when she stood up. To her benefit, Gaara's shoulder was there to catch her.

"Kankuro," Gaara began.

"I got him." Kankuro helped Shikamaru to his unsteady feet. "You're both going to be sick as shit tomorrow, I hope you know that."

"Eh." Shikamaru uttered nonchalantly, unable to be too worried about the situation.

"Come on, dumbass." Kankuro began to guide him out of the kitchen and down the hall. "You'd better hope you can sleep this off."

Gaara followed his brother, having a little more difficulty helping his sister along due to their height difference. "Are you happy with yourself?" he scolded, his voice tired.

"Mmhm."

"That's not… Nevermind"

* * *

Shikamaru lay awake, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. Now that his eyes had adjusted, he was tracing the cracks in the stone with his gaze, trying to connect them to make shapes. It wasn't as entertaining as watching the clouds, but he'd take it. The clock on his bedside table ticked away the seconds until his alarm would sound.

He'd never suffered from insomnia before. It was maddening.

The door to his room clicked as the knob was turned. He sat up, propping himself up by his elbow. He had to confirm that he was awake when he saw Temari slip inside, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Shh," she cautioned before letting go of the door knob.

"What're you-"

"Scoot over," she whispered, inviting herself into his bed and under the sheets.

"Temari-"

"I can't sleep."

Shikamaru sighed. This was a terrible decision, and he knew it, but he was too drunk and too tired to care. They had to be up in six hours. He sat up, ready to tell her so, but he noticed that her breathing had already become even and deep.

 _Fuck it._

He lay back down, trying not to think too hard about everything that had happened in the last few hours. That was tomorrow-Shikamaru's problem. He knew he'd hate himself for it in the morning, but he rolled onto his side and wrapped an arm around Temari's waist. Yeah, tomorrow-Shikamaru would be awake enough to figure all of this out. He was sure of it.


	6. The Written Exam

_**Chapter Six: The Written Exam**_

The shrill ringing in the air had Temari gritting her teeth in disdain. After physically attempting to distance herself from the offensive noise, she covered her head with her pillow. Blindly, she swung her arm in the direction of the bedside table. The back of her hand made contact with the clock and sent it tumbling to the ground.

The alarm sounded muffled, but it was still there. It must have rolled under the bed. Temari gathered all of her strength and forced herself up into a sitting position. There was much more resistance than she thought, as though there was a weight on her chest.

When she righted herself, it took her a moment to understand the situation she was in. A limp, muscular arm fell back down to the bed, slapping against her knee. The figure she'd only now noticed beside her stirred, and another hand appeared to drag the comforter up over its head.

"Make it stop…" Shikamaru's voice was heavy with sleep. He sounded hoarse, which drug out the gravelly base that his voice always carried.

Temari felt frozen in place. The night before, she hadn't been drunk enough to forget everything that happened, but she could have sworn that it was just a dream. The alarm continued to ring, much to her disdain, but she made no move to retrieve it.

Two forceful knocks came from the other side of the door. "Shikamaru, shut that damned thing up, will you?!" Kankuro shouted, clearly annoyed. "You've woken everyone else up with it, and you're sure as hell not going to be the only one to sleep through it."

Temari jumped into action as the bottom of her stomach seemed to drop. Her only thought was to keep Kankuro from walking into the room. She dropped to her hands and knees and rooted around under the bed, her fingers feeling for the offensive metal. When she found it, she drew it to her and turned it upside down, using her fingernail to silence the ringing.

"Thank you!" Kankuro called out of aggravation rather than gratitude.

Temari sighed in relief and sat up on her knees, the clock in her hands. Shikamaru had propped himself into a sitting position. His glazed eyes stared down at her, his face expressionless. As he took a few seconds to wake up, his look changed to one of confusion, then surprise, and finally recognition.

"Yeah." Temari whispered, affirming his thoughts that he didn't speak aloud.

"Aw, shit."

"Yeah."

Shikamaru berated himself for falling into the same sort of situation he'd had to get them out of just a week before. In his defense, this time, it wasn't actually his fault. But that didn't mean that the kazekage wouldn't beat him like a ragdoll for it. "We didn't…"

"No."

"Good."

He saw Temari raise an eyebrow, and he thanked the powers that be that they were both too hungover to start down that road. He climbed out of bed and rooted in his pack for his pants. They needed to be ready to leave in half an hour. Time to push aside his illness and focus.

When Temari pulled herself to her feet, his brow furrowed. Unlike when she stayed at Choji's, she had opted for a tank top and a complete lack of pants, most likely due to the warmer climate. This was no time to gawk. Should he give her his pants? Would that be suspicious if her brothers saw her? Of course it would! But she couldn't just walk out of his room dressed like that.

His brain was working at about half its normal speed. He hit his forehead with his palm, urging it to think faster.

"Get dressed," Temari urged him in a whisper. "Just put something on so you can make sure my brothers aren't in the hallway."

"Good plan." Why couldn't he think of that? He did as he was told and left the room, leaving the door cracked behind him. Nervously, he made his way into the kitchen, where, to his relief, both Gaara and Kankuro were enjoying breakfast. To keep his cover, he filled a large mug with black coffee. Both brothers were studying him, and he tried to keep from feeling nervous. They didn't know anything.

"Shikamaru."

Gaara's voice scared him half to death, but he didn't let it show.

"Are you sure you're capable of proctoring today's exam?"

"Oh. Yeah. I'll be fine." Shikamaru assured him, attempting to be as convincing as possible. "It takes way more than this to put me out of commission."

"Good."

Shikamaru wasn't sure if that was gratitude for his wellbeing or a mild threat. With Gaara, it was hard to tell the difference.

"You need to hurry," Gaara added, noting the leaf ninja's disheveled appearance. "And knock on Temari's door, if you would. I'm starting to wonder if she set an alarm."

"Right." He couldn't believe that he'd managed to navigate that one. Mug in hand, he walked back to his room, relieved to find it empty. They couldn't keep pushing their luck like this.

He set his coffee down and gathered his black hair up on the back of his hand, holding the ribbon between his teeth. He should have sent her back to her room last night. That would have been the smart thing to do. They could have avoided all this trouble if he'd just taken a moment to think.

His eyes glanced over at the bed, studying the state of disarray on both sides. Perhaps it wouldn't be terrible to admit to himself that he'd enjoyed her company. They'd both slept better for it, at least.

His head was throbbing from the lingering effects of the sake. Whatever it was they found, it didn't play. In retrospect, it had probably been gifted to the kazekage. It tasted expensive. Gaara probably tucked it away. Most likely, he didn't want it to go to waste, but Shikamaru had never seen him drink, either. He'd just assumed that it was a courtesy Gaara gave around Lee, who, out of a regard for everyone's safety, refrained as well.

The ribbon cinched around his hair, keeping it tightly in place. At least he'd look acceptable. He took his mug of coffee and drank it to the last drop, ignoring the temperature. With his empty cup in one hand and the folder of exams in the other, he strode back into the kitchen. He'd need another four of those before he was able to function.

* * *

A little bit of makeup went a long way when it came to hiding how hungover Temari actually was. She wasn't one to wear any, usually, but a little foundation, sharp eyeliner, and a bit of color on her lips had her looking healthy. Kankuro and Gaara were sure to notice, but they both knew about her escapade the night before. Aside from Shikamaru, the only other person likely to notice was Baki. If he said something about it, she was sure she could deflect whatever came her way.

For two people who downed an entire, rather large bottle of top-shelf sake the night before, she had to admit that she and Shikamaru managed to look pretty damned good.

The light stung her eyes as they followed the street down to the testing center, but she was too proud to show it. The only things she carried were her fan across her back and a large thermos, filled with enough coffee to, hopefully, give them both enough energy to survive the next several hours. To her right, Shikamaru held the folder of exams tightly. Until they were administered, he needed to keep a close eye on them, just in case. With his free hand, he allowed himself a cigarette, another attempt at sobering himself up.

If someone didn't know they were as hungover as sin, they'd look like a couple of suave, young jonin.

This wasn't the time or the place for them to discuss last night or this morning, and there was a slight amount of tension between them as a result. Temari had to admit that this was probably to their benefit. They shouldn't appear too comfortable around one another in front of the genin and jonin of the other villages.

Inside the testing center, the air was crisp. It was just enough to cause mild discomfort for anyone who didn't dress in layers. _Good_ , she remarked. Everything about the first exam was designed to make the genin sweat under the collar.

The pair took the first flight of stairs and turned to the left. Shikamaru grabbed the handle on the door and opened it, allowing Temari to enter first. When she did so, the dull roar produced by the chattering genin immediately died. With Shikamaru on her heels, they made their way to the table at the front of the room. She set the thermos down before turning to the participants, her eyes hard and unforgiving.

"I am Temari of the Sand. This is Shikamaru Nara. We're your proctors for the first exam. I don't know what you may have heard or experienced in past years, but we're going to do things a little differently this time. There will be no speaking. There will be no jutsu. There will be no cheating. Every jonin in this room is here to watch you. Break these rules, and you're immediately disqualified. If you are told to leave and you argue, your entire squad will be disqualified.

"On each sheet of paper are ten questions. Any chunin should be able to answer them in half the time limit we are providing. If you do not finish the exam before time runs out, you will be assessed on the answers you have provided and will lose points for any incomplete questions."

Shikamaru stepped forward, taking the lead. "There are four separate versions of the test. These have not been marked. Should you attempt to cheat, remember that you have only a 25% chance that you will be stealing the answer to the appropriate question. The chance that that answer will be correct is far lower. Until this point, you've worked together as a squad. Today, we test you individually. The whole may be greater than the sum of its parts, but if even one part isn't up to snuff, any mission will end in certain failure.

"Now, before we begin, is there anyone who would like to back out now and save themselves the embarrassment?"

The genin shifted uncomfortably in their seats, glancing around the room at one another. No one stood up. Shikamaru could easily spot at least five genin who should have taken the opportunity.

Temari opened the folder and withdrew the exam papers. She divided the stack in half, and, one by one, she handed them out to the students at the front of the room. Shikamaru worked his way in from the back. When they met in the middle, both had a small number of sheets left over. Temari took them from her fellow proctor and returned them to the file, which sat on the table at the front of the room.

She took the liberty of unscrewing the lid from the thermos and filling it with coffee. It might have been unorthodox for a proctor to bring something like that into the exam room, but, as far as she was concerned, it would just be another distraction for the nervous genin. She could see Baki's questioning look from across the room, but she pretended like he hadn't been in her line of sight.

The room was filled with the sound of scratching pencils as the genin tried to figure out the answers to the questions Shikamaru had formulated. He and Temari sat side-by-side at the table in the front of the room, paying close attention to the children. Every so often, a jonin would signal for someone to leave the room. At least, so far, anyone who was removed had been wise enough not to argue.

Shikamaru and Temari continued to pass the thermos back and forth, functioning almost exclusively off of liquid energy. Shikamaru kept a careful eye on the clock, watching as the minutes ticked away.

"You, glasses from the Cloud," Temari snapped, not having to leave her chair to signal out the genin. With a look of dismay, the kid left his seat and trudged out of the hall. She took the thermos lid from Shikamaru's hand and refilled it, disappointed that there was less coffee than she had anticipated. To her benefit, her head had begun to clear. Shikamaru appeared more alert, as well. She just hoped that they could ride the caffeine boost until the first exam was finished.

Fifteen minutes passed before Shikamaru stood. The metal legs of his chair screeched across the tile floor, calling attention to the front of the room. "Time," he declared, much to the horror of the remaining genin.

"There's one more problem on this exam, one that isn't printed in front of you. Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once.

If you get this question correct, you'll pass this exam without having to worry about the rest of your answers. If you fail this question, you'll immediately fail."

"Are you telling me that this didn't even matter?!" Konohamaru's voice stood out against the surprised murmurs of the crowd.

Shikamaru held his hand up, bringing silence to the room once more. "You have a choice. You can stay and answer the question, or you can leave now and take the exam next year. Choose wisely. If you stay, and you fail the question, you will never be able to take the chunin exam again. You'll remain a genin for the rest of your life.

"If you stay, and you ace this question, you'll progress to the next stage. However, should any of your teammates fail, the entire squad will suffer he same fate.

"You have thirty seconds to make your decision. You may not speak to your squadmates."

Temari looked up at Shikamaru, studying his face. He seemed confident. Whether he was certain the genin would make the right decision or he was stroking his ego, she wasn't sure.

She heard the legs of a chair scratch across the floor. The boisterous leaf genin with the goggles had stood up, his small hands clenched into fists. His head hung in shame as he shuffled out of the room. His squadmates took his lead, following him out of the double-doors.

Konohamaru had sparked the rest of the genin to action. The sound of the metal scraping over the tile was like nails on a chalkboard to Temari, but she ground her teeth and bore the sound. Shikamaru remained standing, waiting patiently as the last of the ashamed genin exited the hall. A quick glance around the room revealed five genin confident enough to remain.

Shikamaru drew in a breath and narrowed his thin eyes. "You all fail."

The uproar from the five children was enough to split an eardrum.

"Sacrificing yourself is one thing; sacrificing your squadmates is another. By risking their success on the chance of your own, even when they weren't confident enough to finish the mission, you've doomed yourselves to fail. You're all dismissed. Luckily for you, I've decided to allow you to take the test again in six months, if your jonin think you've learned enough to try again."

With a nod to the jonin in the room, Shikamaru declared that the exam had finished. He and Temari stayed at the front of the room until it was empty. They then walked down the aisles, gathering the tests and pencils that had been left behind.

Temari took a moment to look at one test in particular. Across the top, the name Konohamaru Sarutobi was scrawled in hasty print. Each question had been attempted, but it was clear that he had given up. What entertained her was the rather unflattering drawing of Shikamaru on the back of the page. It was far from the work of an artist, but the slightly-evolved stick figure's pointed face and spiky hair left no question about who it was supposed to be. In a crudely drawn speech bubble were the words: I'm so smart and I'm gonna show off with this stupid exam that no one can pass.

She couldn't keep her laugh contained, and she separated that sheet from the rest of the tests. Shikamaru, who had caught a glimpse of it, tried to take it from her, but she held it out of his reach.

"Give me that."

"Yeah, right! I'm framing this!"

"Like hell you are!"

"You can't censor art, Shikamaru!"

* * *

Kankuro paused to study the piece of paper stuck to their fridge. "Why do we have a child's drawing of Shikamaru in our kitchen?" he asked, somehow unable to be surprised by anything that went on in his own home at this point.

"Temari insisted," Gaara informed his brother as he filled a glass of water from the sink.

Kankuro snorted before opening the door to the refrigerator. "And she calls _us_ weird."

Gaara turned his back on his brother and took a minute to look out the window. "Do you think we should be worried?"

"What'd'ya mean?" Kankuro asked.

"That they're sleeping together."

"WHOA!" Kankuro slammed the door to the fridge shut. "Man, that's our _sister!_ You don't joke about shit like that!" He knew that Gaara, because he was isolated as a child, could be oblivious to social customs, but this was stepping too far over the boundary, even for him.

"I'm not joking."

"No. You know what? No. I'm not having this conversation."

"We need to, if they are. This could have serious implications for both villages."

"Nope!" Kankuro shouted, pointedly leaving the kitchen. "Not happening, Gaara!"

"Kankuro-"

" _Nope!_ "

Gaara frowned and drummed his fingertips against the countertop. Having his brother and sister as advisors was useful most of the time, but Kankuro was useless this time around. He supposed he could talk about this with Baki, but, somehow, that didn't seem appropriate. Maybe he was worried about nothing. Kankuro was usually more astute than him about things like this; if he didn't think anything was going on, perhaps he was right.


	7. The Talk

**_Chapter Seven: The Talk_**

Temari and Shikamaru sat on either side of the coffee table in the living room, stacks of papers surrounding them. Scores needed to be calculated, teams assigned, and reports written up for all five kage on each genin. This wasn't their first time, but that didn't make the process any less odious. Temari swore as the lead of her pencil snapped. They'd been at this for two hours, and it didn't feel like they had made a dent.

Shikamaru set a leaf of paper to the side before falling onto the floor, lying on his back. Temari's broken pencil clattered to the ground beside his head.

"No breaks," she scolded. "If we don't get this done before tomorrow, we're going to hate ourselves."

"We haven't eaten today, Tema. We can afford to walk away for a bit."

Temari was exhausted, and she wanted nothing more than to take a long nap. No sooner had they returned from the first exam than they sat down and set to work once more. He was right, and she knew it. Yet, she was afraid that, if she stopped, she wouldn't be able to start again.

"The second exam starts at dawn. There's not going to be any time to write reports when we're judging genin in the demon desert," she protested, fumbling around for a fresh writing utensil.

"How goes it?" Kankuro asked as he walked into the room, glancing over at the table. Both Temari and Shikamaru answered him with disdainful groans.

"Kankuro," Temari looked up at her brother, putting on her most pathetic face. "I'll pay you to get us food."

"How much?"

"How-" Temari stammered in disbelief. Was he really planning to exploit her desperation?

"Lunch and two thousand." Kankuro demanded.

"Fine." Shikamaru pulled his wallet out of his pocket, still lying on his back. He extended his arm into the air, holding a handful of yen aloft.

"Sweet!" Kankuro grabbed the bills before Temari could talk sense into Shikamaru.

Temari watched as her brother rushed out of the room, not bothering to ask them what they wanted for lunch. "How much did you give him?"

"I don't know. Five, six?" Shikamaru speculated.

"You're an idiot."

Shikamaru sat back up and held up an index finger. He waited a second before shouting "Kankuro!"

There was no response. He gestured at her, as though he'd proved something.

"You were just robbed," she informed him.

" _Or_ he's buying food."

Temari shook her head. "Right. Sure." She turned her attention back to the endless pile of papers. "Why do we do this to ourselves?"

"Because the kage know we're good at it," he countered. After they ran their first exam, it seemed to fall into their laps twice a year like clockwork.

"Damn them."

"Don't let them hear you say that."

"Please, like I haven't said worse to Gaara."

Shikamaru drummed the end of his pen against a blank report. "Come on, a five minute break."

"Fine. Five minutes." Temari shifted herself to the other side of the coffee table so that she could rest her back against the couch. Her head fell back against the seat cushion, and she let her eyes shut. They were dry and itchy from lack of sleep. "Watch the time."

She felt something tapping the arch of her foot, and she shifted away. When it didn't let up, she opened her eyes. Kankuro stood on the other side of the coffee table, a large, brown bag in his arm. "Up and at 'em," he roused before setting the bag down.

Temari lifted her head, which she realized, to her embarrassment, had been resting on Shikamaru's shoulder. "You actually got food."

"What do you think I am, a monster?" her brother countered, offended. "I bought enough curry to feed a small army. So, just enough to feed the four of us." He turned his attention to Shikamaru, kicking the sole of his foot as he'd done his sister's. "Wake up, deer boy."

Shikamaru made a rude gesture in his direction, much to Temari's amusement. Kankuro countered by roughly shaking his shoulder, jarring him into a waking state.

"Gaara!" Kankuro called his brother. "Food!"

"Do you just shout at one another like that?" Shikamaru asked incredulously.

"It's effective," Temari pointed out. She lifted herself up onto the couch and gathered the papers strewn about the coffee table, making room for the four of them to eat. Kankuro removed the containers from the bag and spread them around, and Gaara joined them, lowering himself down to sit on the floor.

They didn't normally eat as a family, but the awkwardness passed quickly. A laugh was had at Shikamaru's expense concerning the drawing pinned to the fridge, and he took it in stride.

Temari tried to stile a yawn, but she didn't succeed. Gaara looked at her in concern. She'd been working non-stop for ten hours, as had Shikamaru. Despite their poor decision with the sake the night before, they'd steeled themselves and done everything they'd needed to do. They'd done well. He had to admit that they made an efficient team.

All the same, his thoughts rested on the conversation he'd tried to have with Kankuro just a few hours before. He didn't have anything against Shikamaru as a person, but there was a lot to consider if he was correct.

Gaara looked at his sister. "I'm going to be blunt, but don't take offense." Behind his words, Temari knew that he was saying he didn't know how to word what he wanted to say in a more polite way. There were times that he couldn't help but be brazen simply because he was walking into uncharted territory. He waited for his sister to nod before continuing. "Don't misunderstand, Shikamaru. I like you. But we need to talk if the two of you are sleeping together, no matter how serious it is."

"DUDE!" Kankuro exclaimed, slapping his chopsticks down on the coffee table. "The fuck did I just tell you?!"

Shikamaru coughed once, then twice, eyes wide. His hand went to his throat in a motion that signified that he was choking. Temari shifted her position from sitting to kneeling, and she delivered several sharp blows to his back, trying to help him.

"Are you trying to kill him?!" Kankuro shouted at his brother, gesturing at the chaos in front of him.

Temari struck Shikamaru one more time, and he drew in a gasping breath. His eyes were watering. "Oh, god, it burns," he complained as the spices from the curry rested in his airway. He coughed several more times into a napkin, turning away from the coffee table. He waved away Temari's helping hand. He just had to cough it out.

The three siblings sat in awkward silence as Shikamaru overcame his coughing fit. The leaf ninja turned back to the table and drained his glass of water. When that wasn't enough, he helped himself to Temari's. After the episode had passed, he placed his elbows on the coffee table and rested his head in his hands.

No longer feeling the need to be concerned about Shikamaru, Temari turned her attention to her baby brother. "What the hell, Gaara? Even if we were sleeping together – which we're _not_ – that's none of your business!"

"Like it or not, Temari, we're royal, and I'm the kazekage." Gaara pointed out. "I don't want to have to pry into this, but it isn't that simple."

"You know, I don't really need to be here for this…" Kankuro tried to excuse himself, but the glare he received from Gaara kept him in his seat.

"There's nothing to pry into!" Temari protested, her cheeks bright red.

Gaara looked over at Shikamaru, determining him to be the weaker link at the moment. He said nothing, actively avoiding eye contact with the kazekage.

Temari slammed her hands down on the table as she stood up. "I'm going for a walk."

Shikamaru hesitated, not sure whether or not he was supposed to follow. He suddenly became very aware that Gaara and Kankuro were watching his reaction, and he decided that he didn't want to hang around for 'guy time.' He muttered something about being back before excusing himself, feeling as though he'd dodged a bullet.

Kankuro looked over at his brother, his face full of disappointment. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to listen to your older brother every once in a while."

* * *

The afternoon sun in Suna was almost unbearable. Shikamaru wished that he'd left his vest behind, but he wasn't about to turn back. How Temari and Kankuro could walk around dressed in black was beyond him. To his displeasure, as they walked, they kicked up sand, which found its new home inside his sandals.

He wasn't sure where Temari was headed. It seemed like they were walking to the edge of the village. He felt too awkward to ask.

The next conversation they had was sure to be a tense one, and he wasn't in a hurry to start it.

Temari led the way beyond the walls of the village, and the horizon opened up into a uniform sea of gold. She seemed to know where she was going, so he didn't bother to ask. The next few miles were walked in silence, a time which both ninja used to busy themselves with their own thoughts.

In the distance rose a fortress wall, which cast a long shadow across the sand. Shikamaru finally understood what was going on. By heading to the edge of the demon desert, Temari was leading them further away from the village than her brothers would pursue them. If they were seen, it was only natural for two exam proctors to survey the terrain of the next portion of the test.

When they reached the shadow of the wall, Temari finally stopped. She unclasped the fan from her back and sat down in the sand, allowing it to rest beside her.

Shikamaru followed her lead even though she hadn't seemed to acknowledge his presence. The shadow had stretched a few centimeters forward before she broke the silence.

"I can't believe them." Her voice betrayed how mortified she was at the entire debacle. She'd never been more embarrassed in her life. Mentally, she cursed her brothers. That wasn't a conversation she'd wanted to have. Before she could even have it, there was a much more private one that needed to occur between her and Shikamaru. They'd managed to tiptoe around it, and it had been working for them. It was comfortable that way. Every few months, she could arrive in Konoha and enjoy his company for a few days before they both went back to their daily lives. Twice a year, the exams would extend their visits. It was easy to get used to.

Shikamaru wasn't sure what he should say. If they were in the Leaf, he could have bailed and asked Ino for advice. She was good with things like this. He never thought he'd see the day where he'd trust her judgement more than his own, but here it was.

"I'm sorry." Temari caught him off guard. Her words were carefully measured, and she refused to look at him. She watched the breeze carry grains of sand in small tornadoes, her eyes following their path.

Shikamaru cracked the knuckles on his right hand, preoccupied. "It's a drag, but…" he sighed, "you know we have to talk about it."

"Hm," she affirmed. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but there was no way to move forward until they did. Their days of avoidance were over. She knew it couldn't last forever. The stakes were too high for both of them. Gaara was right; she just didn't want to admit it to herself. She wondered if Shikamaru felt as sick to his stomach as she did in that moment.

Neither of them was keen to start the conversation. Buying himself some time, Shikamaru lay back in the sand, fixing his eyes on the clouds. "I guess we need to put our cards on the table."

To his surprise, Temari reclined as well. She sighed, her chest rising and falling with the volume of her breath. In the uncertainty, nothing had been at risk. As soon as they spoke, there would be no going back to the way things have been. For better or worse, their old dynamic had died. She swallowed her pride and fear long enough to speak three words. "Yes or no?"

Shikamaru placed his hands behind his head, deciding to be direct for once. Asuma would be proud. "Yes." After a moment, he repeated her question. "Yes or no?"

"Yes."

He sighed in relief. That had been the hardest part. Everything after this point would be logistics. He let his fingers run through the cold sand until they found hers, where he allowed them to rest. The muscles in her hand relaxed at his touch. They lay in the shade, staring up at the sky and enjoying the brief moment of solitude they had won. As soon as they returned, they would have to face Gaara and Kankuro again.

It was a merit to them both that, while anyone else would have needed a drawn-out conversation to come to a conclusion, they had been able to reach that same point with eight words between them. Temari sat up and brushed the sand from her back, too restless to stay lying down.

Assuming that she wanted to leave, Shikamaru did the same. He turned to face her, amused at the color in her cheeks. She tried to turn away from him, but he took her chin between his thumb and index finger, guiding her face back. Temari froze, but Shikamaru acted with more confidence. Impulsively, he captured her lips with his own. To his surprise and relief, it took but a second for her to kiss him back.

Her fingers laced themselves in the hair on the back of his head, and he placed his palm on her lower back to draw her in closer. Every action was steeped in desperation. He didn't realize that he had pulled her onto his lap until she was already there. His hands wandered down to her hips, and she pressed her body against him.

When she broke away, panting for air, their senses started to come back to them. The pent-up sexual tension had almost won, but they were able to maintain enough rationality to realize that this was not the time or the place for this. Aware of their surroundings once more, Shikamaru looked around, relieved to see that they were still alone. Temari took it upon herself to move off of him. Red-faced and breathless, they both took a minute to compose themselves.

Shikamaru fumbled with the flint on his lighter, taking more than a few attempts to light the cigarette he had pulled out to calm his nerves. He had never had such a test of self-control. He was surprised when he saw his hand shake.

After taking a deep breath, Temari looked straight ahead and declared, "We should get back."

"Yeah."

Neither of them moved.

"Let's wait to tell Gaara." Temari suggested, finally standing. With a click, she secured her fan to her back.

"Good idea." Shikamaru agreed. For both their sakes, they kept a safe distance between them. He lamented that they were in Suna rather than Konoha, where he could visit her without having to worry about anyone else.

He fought to pull his mind out of the gutter, trying to focus on the task at hand. It made no sense for them to hide in the desert. Kankuro had probably fought with Gaara after they left, and, if they were lucky, the two brothers wouldn't want anything to do with one another for the rest of the night. If he wasn't mistaken, Gaara had to make another appearance that evening as kazekage to congratulate the genin who had made it through the first stage. That would put Kankuro with him as his security detail. If they were lucky, they might have an hour to continue what their rationality had interrupted.


	8. The Demon Desert

_**Chapter Eight: The Demon Desert**_

It was back to business before the sun finished rising. The dawn lent a red tint to the sand, and life began to stir. This was to the disadvantage of the genin who were gathered at the gate to the demon desert. They talked eagerly with one another, completely unaware of what they were up against. The only teams that seemed to understand the gravity of the situation were a group of older Suna genin and the group with the little artist from Konoha.

Temari took one last head count before turning to Shikamaru, who carried a satchel filled with scrolls. It was early, but at least they weren't hung over. Ideally, the genin would realize that they were starting with the sun to take advantage of one of the coolest parts of the day. The desert was without much shelter, and water was scarce. If they had any sense, they would get as far as they could into the arena before the sun rose into its afternoon position.

Gaara watched the scene from atop the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Kankuro stood behind him and to the left. His black clothes made him look like a shadow in the morning light. He wasn't happy with the way his conversation with his sister ended the day before, but it couldn't be helped. As long as they were hosting the exam, there were more important things to worry about.

"Listen up!" Temari snapped, her voice cracking like a whip through the air. To her pleasure, silence fell almost immediately. "Each squad will be given a scroll. It will be marked either 'Heaven' or 'Earth.'" As she spoke, Shikamaru held up the two types of scrolls. "Your squad must collect one of each before making it to the central tower. Any team without both a 'Heaven' and an 'Earth' scroll will not be allowed inside." She paused, allowing the gravity of that statement to sink in.

"In addition, each squad will be given a single flare. When lit, it will signal for a jonin retrieval team to extract your squad. Use of this flare results in immediate disqualification for the entire squad. They have been provided in hopes that we can reduce loss of life.

"Other than the scroll and the flare, each genin is restricted to only what they can carry on their person without the use of a large pack. Your jonin leaders should have advised you on the best strategy to survive this test. Three days will be given. If any teams have not entered the tower by sunrise on the fourth day, they will be disqualified." She nodded to Shikamaru, who began to hand out the scrolls and flares.

"There are no other rules. I will advise each squad not to be stupid; your lives are not worth a promotion. If you are in life-threatening danger, light the flare. You might just live to fight another day."

"Sheesh," Kankuro murmured. "She doesn't play around."

Temari waited long enough for Shikamaru to return to her side before gesturing for the gates to be opened. The heavy sandstone ground across the sand, thumping to a halt when open.

"You will have fifteen minutes to prepare. There will be no fighting in that time. Use it wisely. When you see the first signal flare, you may begin." She and Shikamaru jumped up onto the wall, out of the way of the stampeding genin. Temari turned her back on the gate and watched the squads scatter into all four directions.

"Can you see?" she asked her youngest brother, who was surveying the desert with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Yes," he responded, covering his left eye with his index and middle finger. "You were right; positioning my jutsu near the central tower will be to our advantage."

With Gaara's enhanced vision, there was less of a need to hide jonin around the field. The flares would alert them to any danger, and each squad's movements could be easily assessed by sensory ninja.

"I'll leave this position to the two of you," Gaara informed Temari and Shikamaru. "As proctors, your word will be final. I can't afford to remain outside the village with so few of our jonin within the walls, so I'll keep watch from there. Do you have what you need for the next three days?"

Temari nodded. "Our packs were dropped off in the north tower last night. Baki is stationed to the south with a few of the jonin from the other villages."

"Good. That means we can leave our men on standby." The kazekage looked from his sister to the leaf ninja and back again. "They're in your hands."

"Understood." Temari confirmed, reassuring her brother.

With that, Gaara walked along the wall to the nearest tower, preferring to take the stairs rather than jump. Kankuro followed along behind him, clearly relieved to have nothing to do with the horde of children.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Baki give the signal from the south tower. She removed her fan from her back and opened it to one moon. Forcefully, she twisted the cap off the flare Shikamaru had given her and used her wind jutsu to toss it up into the air. It rose high enough that it could be seen from the other towers, who signaled that the message had been received.

Temari closed her fan and used it to prop herself up as she leaned. "And now, we wait."

* * *

It was only a matter of hours before the first signal flare was lit. The light came from the west, most likely from a set of ruins. Briefly, Temari mused over what might have attacked. Normally, the genin squads didn't attack one another with the intent to kill. It was possible that they had run into a scorpion or a nest of ants. Either way, they were too far for her to be of any use. A three-man team, much closer to the location, sprung into action.

"That didn't take long," Shikamaru commented.

"It's not surprising." Temari reached into her pack and withdrew a container of water, which she opened with one hand. "The desert has had plenty of time to wake up and notice the intruders. I'll be surprised if we don't see two more before nightfall."

"You talk about this like it's normal."

"My brothers and I have been training here since we were children, still in the academy. Our father wasn't exactly a gentle teacher."

Shikamaru was caught off guard when she spoke about the fourth kazekage. That was a name she hardly ever mentioned, let alone so casually.

Temari tucked her water bottle away before continuing. "You know my scar. The one on my side. I got it fighting in this desert." She hesitated, taking a moment to make sure that they were as alone as she thought. "It was right before we came to Konoha for the chunin exams. We were ambushed by a giant scorpion. I caught a barb to the shoulder, and the poison isn't exactly for play. Gaara lost control of the one tail and attacked, but I was hit in the process."

A fraction of a second later, she added, "I almost died out here. So, no, I don't have a lot of sympathy. They have the flares for a reason."

Shikamaru nodded, taking in what she had said. He had the urge to take her hand in his, but they had agreed against any displays of affection, even one as small as that.

Silence reigned once more until the sun had hit its peak. Shikamaru swore and removed his vest. The thick material was protective, but he wasn't at risk, and he'd rather not suffer a heat stroke. Temari offered him her water, which he took and drank greedily. As proctors, they had ready access to water that the genin did not.

"We should move into the shade," Temari suggested, much to his relief. "Only an idiot would move with his squad at this time of day. Give it four hours, and we'll probably start to see movement again."

* * *

Shikamaru had fallen asleep in his chair by one of the windows in the stone tower. His mouth was open slightly and he was snoring, much to Temari's amusement. It was likely that they would spend the next three days sleeping in shifts, so she decided to give him what time he needed. With the sun still blazing, there had been virtually no activity in the field.

They hadn't spent much time talking about what had transpired the day before. They had agreed to do their best to carry on as usual while refraining from showing affection, but that was as much as they had decided. It wasn't hard to mimic the behaviors she'd used before to mask her feelings, and she was fairly confident that Gaara and Kankuro were oblivious.

All the same, their short time by the wall the day before was hard to remove from her mind. Unfortunately, their conversation had been put on hold once they entered the village again, ending with their agreement to avoid affection in public, or even anything but complete solitude. She could survive three days. They'd danced around the matter for far longer than that.

She heard a flare ignite and walked over to the window Shikamaru was asleep in front of. This time, it was to the south. The more teams that backed out, the fewer sets of scrolls there would be on the field. She supposed it was a good thing. They might not need to hold an elimination round before the one-on-one matches.

Shikamaru stirred in his sleep, mumbling something she couldn't understand. She lay a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a slight shake, rousing him. "If you're going to nap, you'd might as well lie down."

"I'm not napping," he lied before stretching along with a massive yawn. "Not anymore, at least. Any news?"

"Nothing we need to worry about." She looked at the position of the sun through the window. "Although, we should probably move to the central tower before too long. They won't stay near the walls much longer, and we can't afford to miss any early squads."

"Not everyone can finish the second test as fast as you did," Shikamaru pointed out.

"That's because we had Gaara," Temari remarked. "All the same, we should get a move on. The temperature's dropped, but, jonin or not, we don't want to get caught in the open after nightfall."

* * *

The first squad completed the test after 23 hours. The genin from the Hidden Rain were battered and bruised, but they were able to turn over both a 'Heaven' and 'Earth' scroll along with their unused flare. Shikamaru was awake to greet them, and he sent all three along to the infirmary to be looked over by the Suna medical nin.

Temari's shift began at 25 hours, and she was the one to greet the first Suna squad. She didn't recognize the genin, but they were in much better shape than the first group. Realistically, the same could be expected of the other local squads, who were more accustomed to the harsh conditions.

At 30 hours, a mild sandstorm kicked up. Temari kept a close eye on it, monitoring the speed of the wind. For the time being, there wasn't any immediate danger other than reduced visibility.

The storm didn't die until 33 hours, by which time Shikamaru had taken over. He had to admit that he was proud when Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon stumbled in at 40 hours.

Progress slowed significantly when Temari traded places with Shikamaru. It was 53 hours when a squad from the Hidden Cloud arrived, looking extremely worse for wear. They were ushered to the infirmary for treatment.

Twelve genin. That was a decent number, especially with time still left on the clock. There were enough 'Heaven' and 'Earth' scrolls to pass seven squads, although many of those had been taken off the field when the genin used their emergency flares.

It was 68 hours when a second Suna squad arrived, stumbling out of the dark and into the tower.

As the 72nd hour approached, both Temari and Shikamaru stood at the doors to the tower. Shikamaru kept a close eye on the clock. With ten minutes to spare, one last squad from the Hidden Rock made it to the tower. When the hour turned, Temari shut the doors to the tower, declaring the second test over.

* * *

Gaara stood before the six remaining squads, who were having trouble staying on their feet. Their faces were beaming with pride despite their injuries and exhaustion. His eyes lingered on Konohamaru, who wore a grin that rivaled Naruto's.

"There will be a brief resting period before the last exam," he informed the genin. "Train, heal, or sleep. How you spend this time is up to you. In exactly one week, you will compete in one-on-one matches to prove your skills. Suna is your host; please, enjoy what the village has to offer during your time here."

The genin scattered, quickly attaching themselves to their jonin leaders. Shikamaru caught Ebisu in tears as he embraced his team. He had a feeling that it was a mix of pride and relief that the children had made it this far. He knew he was supposed to remain unbiased, but he couldn't help but root for the awkward trio.

"At least we have a week to finish those reports," Temari spoke, drawing his attention away. "We might actually get everything done."

"I hope so." Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. "We've been busting our asses for months. It'd be a drag if we can't make it through the final stretch."

"I'm just ready to get out of this damned tower."

Kankuro clapped his sister on the shoulder, grinning. "We got two squads through. Better than any other village."

"Don't get excited yet," Temari warned him. "It's up to Gaara and the jonin leaders how many of them pass."

"Don't be a buzzkill, Tema," Kankuro frowned. "You guys should get your stuff. Baki's taking us to dinner. Shikamaru, too. He wants to meet the Konoha ninja you've been spending so much time with."

"Right." Temari walked away from her brother, masking a look of uncertainty.

Shikamaru waited until they were climbing the stairs before asking "What was that about?"

"I think Kankuro is trying to use Baki-sensei as a stand-in for our father…" Temari puzzled, trying to follow her brother's unique form of logic.

"So, what? He's vetting me?"

"It seems like it."

"But he doesn't know anything."

"No, but that's never stopped him before."

Shikamaru began to shove his belongings haphazardly into his pack. They'd managed to avoid Gaara and Kankuro for three days, but with a long week ahead of them, he knew they'd find out sooner or later. If they planned on grilling him tonight, at least it would be out in public, where they would need to keep up appearances.


	9. Out in the Open

**_Chapter Nine: Out in the Open_**

"To the success of the second test, and a smooth transition to the third." Baki lifted his sake cup in a toast, which was met by his students and Shikamaru from around the table.

They'd snuck into a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, one that would be easily looked over by the visiting ninja. The village continued to buzz with excitement, as it would until the guests returned to their own lands.

The table was low to the ground with cushions arranged around the sides. Baki had taken a seat at the head of the table, and Gaara had taken the foot. Kankuro had a side to himself, sitting across from Shikamaru and Temari. Shikamaru sat near to Gaara, and Temari was to Baki's left side.

Shikamaru found it strange that they weren't given any menus. The old woman behind the counter brought them various dishes from the kitchen without explaining what they were. He wasn't sure if this was the style of the restaurant or if they were getting the royal treatment, but he found it a little unnerving.

"You've both done an excellent job with this exam," Baki praised Temari and Shikamaru. His admiration didn't come easy, and Temari was incredibly pleased with herself.

"Thank you, Sensei. It hasn't been easy," Temari admitted.

"If it was easy, it wouldn't be worth doing." Baki extended a hand and let it rest briefly on Temari's shoulder. "I'll admit, I was worried how the other villages would treat this exam, because you're all still so young. But you three have acted with dignity and earned their respect. Your father would be proud."

Although the last statement was meant as flattery, Gaara tensed ever so slightly. If Shikamaru hadn't been so close to him, he would have missed it. It was gone as soon as it came. "Your praise is much appreciated, Sensei."

"You may be Kazekage, but to me, you're still Gaara. You're not so important that I can't take pride in you."

The old woman brought a large bowl of rice to the table, and Shikamaru was thrilled to see a food he recognized. He served himself a decent portion and was about to pick up his chopsticks when Baki turned his attention to him.

"And Shikamaru of the Nara clan. I've heard a lot about you, but I didn't think we'd get the chance to meet."

"It's an honor to meet the sensei of the Kazekage," Shikamaru spoke smoothly, no stranger to polite custom and conversation. To his relief, he could tell that Baki was pleased with his response.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you and Temari faced one another in the Konoha chunin exam. You're the kid who gave up."

Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah, that was me."

"Who'd've thought," Baki mused, clearly entertained by this fact. "I thought Tema was going to hunt you down and kill you in your sleep after that."

Shikamaru looked to Temari, who only shrugged. "You pissed me off. Nothing new."

"But here you are. I don't know if that's a testament to your persistence or to Tema's stubbornness."

"More than a little bit of both," Kankuro added, pleased to get a jab in at his older sister.

"These three don't get along with a lot of people," Baki admitted. "You're pretty unique for all three of them to enjoy your company."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Shikamaru grinned, hoping that was how it was intended.

"So I take it you plan on moving to the Sand?"

Shikamaru arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well, I assume you'd move to Suna because of Temari's status. It'd be a social step up for you, rather than a step down should she move to Konoha."

The way Shikamaru and Temari looked at him told Baki that he had vastly misjudged the situation. There were times he forgot that he wasn't related to his students, and he wondered if he had overstepped his bounds.

"He's got a point," Kankuro spoke up between mouthfuls. "We _are_ royalty here."

"I'm sorry," Baki tried to save face. "I'd been under the impression that you two were… well… serious."

"That's not what they say," Gaara mused, putting in his opinion for the first time.

"Hey, you shut up," Kankuro snapped at his brother. "We don't need a repeat of yesterday."

"Kankuro," Baki warned.

"I'm just saying-"

"Stop. Think about what's going to come after those words. It usually never turns out well for you."

Kankuro hunched his shoulders slightly, displeased at being scolded in public.

Baki turned his attention back to Temari and Shikamaru. "Temari, what exactly is going on here? The elders aren't going to be happy if there's too much confusion. I'm able to tell because I've known you for so long, but it's only a matter of time before others start to wonder."

The two exchanged a glance before Temari took it upon herself to inform her sensei. "We're together, but it's recent. Just in the last couple of days." It was uncomfortable to say out loud, simply because she didn't like sharing her private life. Thankfully, they were the only ones in the restaurant.

"Who knows?"

"Everyone at this table, now." Shikamaru answered.

An awkward silence fell over the three siblings. None of them had been romantically involved before, for a large number of reasons, both familial and individual.

Baki laced his fingers together as he thought. "Well," he began. "If that's the case, I'd tell you to keep it to as small a number as possible. Konoha and Suna may be allies, but we don't need any questions about loyalty. Of course, this is assuming the kazekage is on board."

Temari bit her tongue, resisting the urge to rant about how sexist it was to need her brother's permission. She was angry, and she was looking for an outlet. She didn't need to unleash on Gaara.

"Temari's a grown woman. I won't tell her what to do. I wouldn't tell any ninja what to do in a situation like this." Gaara's tone showed that he'd already put a lot of thought into his response.

"And the hokage?"

"Tsunade seems to be a reasonable enough person," Gaara concluded. "As long as it doesn't interfere with missions or loyalties, I can't see her being opposed."

"So you're okay with this?" Kankuro demanded.

"Are you not?" Gaara countered, staring his brother down. "If you want to tell our sister what she can and cannot do, be my guest." He then turned to look at Shikamaru and Temari. "You're both highly intelligent shinobi, and I don't think either of you would take a risk you hadn't calculated. I trust that you both will be discreet."

Temari was touched that Gaara had so much faith in her, but she was still walking a fine line between enraged and pleased. "What I do is my decision, not anyone else's. I'm willing to keep this quiet, but that's as much say as any of you will have."

"I think that's fair," Baki determined, watching Gaara and Kankuro to judge their reactions.

"Once the exams are over, and the other villages' ninja have left, I can travel with Shikamaru to speak with Lady Tsunade." Temari stated, not offering any room for negotiation.

Baki turned his attention to Shikamaru. What was it about this ninja that made Temari so determined? She'd always been stubborn, but she wasn't digging her heels in the sand this time. She seemed dedicated, far more than most kunoichi would be to a relationship that was only days-old. He supposed she'd always been a particular one. He wouldn't be surprised if, all this time, she'd simply been biding her time until she found someone worth her energy. And, if anyone could give her a run for her money, it would be the lazy Konoha nin who forfeited a match he'd already won.

"Well, that settles it." Baki allowed himself to smile, trying to bring balance and peace back to their circle of five.

Shikamaru wasn't thrilled at the restrictions that had been placed on them, but, at the same time, he couldn't imagine that they would have done any different. Temari didn't like others to be in her private life. He probably wouldn't tell but a handful of people from the leaf – his parents, Ino, and Choji. The only real obstacle was that, now, he had to talk about it with Lady Tsunade, like it was some sort of international issue.

Actually, now that he thought about it, that's probably exactly what it was.

Baki was never one to leave good enough alone, and he had far too much fun with his students. It was like they were his niece and nephews, and they were always open game. He thought himself hilarious when he asked, "Now, Temari, I don't have to give you the talk, now, do I?"

Although Temari laughed at his joke, Kankuro snatched the bottle of sake from the center of the table. "I'm not drunk enough for this shit," he complained. At this rate, he'd be dead of a heart attack by the time the week was through.

* * *

Baki parted ways with them as they left the restaurant, making sure to shake Shikamaru's hand before he left. Shikamaru walked side-by-side with Temari, taking up the rear behind Gaara and Kankuro. The more sake Kankuro had at dinner, the worse his filter became. At this rate, both his brother and sister agreed that the best course of action was to get him in bed.

As they walked through the street, Gaara turned his head so that he could look at Shikamaru out of the corner of his eye. "Baki likes you," he informed him, catching Shikamaru off guard.

He was surprised that he'd managed to make a good impression, and even more so that Gaara felt the need to assure him of that fact.

"He doesn't take to people quickly. I don't know what it is about you, but you're different."

"Thanks, Gaara," Shikamaru said genuinely. As strange and unique as Temari's family dynamic was, he felt oddly at home in the chaos. He could relate to having a sensei that was more like a parent, and, although he was an only child, he saw similar behavioral patterns in Choji and Ino as teammates. The three siblings were, after all, on the same squad. The bonds formed in that environment went beyond blood ties.

He didn't say it aloud, but he was relieved that he didn't have the chance to meet either of Temari's parents. She rarely talked about her mother, but, from what he'd heard about the fourth kazekage, that wouldn't have been pleasant in the least. Unfortunately, his family wouldn't be so easy. Sure, his dad would probably be happy he brought home a girl at all, but his mom would probably give them the third degree. That wasn't something he was looking forward to.

When they entered through the front door of their home, Temari allowed herself to smile as she took off her shoes. "This is the first night in days that I won't be sleeping in shifts," she sighed, elated.

"Oh, yeah." Shikamaru realized she was right.

"You should sleep in tomorrow," Gaara suggested. "I have a meeting with the council, but we'll manage without you, Temari. They'll understand."

"Thanks, Gaara."

Her brother nodded before wrapping an arm around Kankuro. "Come on, I need you to walk with me if you're going to get to your room."

"I don't need sleep!"

"Of course not." Gaara humored him, clearly amused. "If that's the case, you can work on your puppets."

Shikamaru chuckled when the pair rounded the corner of the hall.

"I love them," Temari reminded herself before shaking her head.

"It's never dull, that's for sure."

Temari walked down the hall to her bedroom, leaving the door open so that Shikamaru could follow her. She began to let her hair down, removing one band at a time. "You know Kankuro doesn't hate you, right?" she asked. "He's just protective."

"I figured," Shikamaru shrugged. "After the hot springs incident, he was acting like my best friend."

"That's about right. And Gaara… is just Gaara."

"That much I knew."

Temari smiled to herself, prompting Shikamaru to ask, "What is it?"

"Who do you think will have a better reaction, Choji or Ino?" She turned to face him as she ran a comb through her hair. "I know you won't be able to keep it from them."

Shikamaru grimaced. He could already hear the ear-piercing volume of Ino's excited pitch. "Ino, for sure."

"Really? Sure, she'll shriek, but that's pretty normal for a woman like her." Temari caught herself. "Not that I mean anything by that."

"I know," Shikamaru assured her.

"But I'd expect that. I don't know what to expect from Choji."

"You know, neither do I. We've been best friends all our lives, but I don't have a clue."

"Just make sure Naruto doesn't find out." Gaara spoke as he stood in the doorway, startling them both.

Temari gestured with his comb. "He's right. If Naruto even guesses, it'll be all over the Leaf."

"The good thing about that is, if Naruto starts it, no one will believe it," Shikamaru countered.

"Just a thought." Gaara straightened from his leaning position against the door frame. "Goodnight."

"Night," Temari responded to his retreating form.

"Isn't it early for him to sleep?" Shikamaru asked.

"Gaara doesn't really _sleep_. He gets maybe two hours at a time, if he's lucky. It's a cyclical thing, so he'll sleep, then be awake for a while, then sleep again. He goes to bed early to try to get another cycle or two."

Shikamaru grimaced, unable to imagine what that must be like. To him, that would be torture. "Can't a doctor help him?"

"It's Shukaku," Temari explained, a look of pity in her eyes. "He won't talk about it, but it seems like the sand demon thinks it's a game to keep him awake."

"Shukaku?"

"Gaara says that's its name."

"Damn." He wondered if Naruto suffered from the same thing. Did Naruto's beast communicate with him like Gaara's seemed to? Did he know its name?

"Apparently, if he doesn't pay attention to it for a few days, it throws a tantrum. When he was younger, that's when he would transform. Now, he's stronger than it, and it knows it. Instead of attacking, it acts like it's giving him the silent treatment. As if that's some sort of punishment for Gaara. When that happens, he's able to sleep for one or two nights."

Shikamaru had a thousand questions as far as Gaara was concerned, but he was too polite to ask any of them. Her brother had scarred Temari both mentally and physically, but in recent years they had developed a sort of peace. He didn't want to interfere with that by tugging on the wrong string.

Temari noticed that he was on edge and felt a little guilty that she'd said everything she had. She climbed up on her bed and positioned herself behind him, sitting on her knees. She put the comb in her mouth as she untied the band in his hair, setting it to the side once it had been untangled. With the comb in her right hand, she divided his hair into parts with her left, gently working through any knots she found.

Shikamaru leaned back slightly and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. They sat this way in silence until she'd finished working the knots out of his hair. He seemed so at ease that she continued to drag the comb through his black locks for a few moments more than was strictly necessary.

Seeing that he was calm, Temari stepped back down off her bed and set the comb on her bedside table. She opened her closet and withdrew her pyjamas, admittedly dissatisfied that her sleep wardrobe consisted of little more than old shirts that were either faded or not quite the right size. She was too preoccupied to notice that Shikamaru had walked up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him. His lips brushed against the nape of her neck, and she tilted her head to the side. She let out a satisfied sigh.

She twisted around in his arms so that she was facing him. She rose up on the balls of her feet to kiss him, unsure of when he'd gotten so much taller than she was. Her arms snaked around his neck, and neither of them moved away. It had been three days since they talked, three days spent in the middle of the desert, sleeping in shifts and keeping track of lives.

Within the stone walls, none of that weighed on their shoulders.

Temari's fingers grabbed a hold on his shoulders as his arms moved down to her thighs, lifting her up to his level. She allowed her legs to wrap around his waist. He staggered slightly as he shifted their weight to just one leg, freeing the other to kick the door shut. Unable to watch where he was going, it took a few lumbering steps for him to move across the room. His hands let go of her thighs as he leaned over, laying her down on the edge of the bed.

His knees came to rest on either side of her hips, and he made the bold decision to let his hands roam, well aware that she would have no qualms about stopping him if she became uncomfortable. Reluctantly, his lips left hers, and he used his core to lift himself up on his knees. His hands knotted in the fabric on the back of his shirt, and he pulled it up and over his head, managing to get both the tactical long-sleeved shirt and his fishnet undershirt in a single go.

He paused long enough to look down at her, trying to judge her reaction. The color in her cheeks made her half-shut eyes seem more vivid. When he didn't come back down, she looked up at him, her breath hitching in her throat. He hovered over her, his hands supporting him on either side of her shoulders. His hair hung down in his face, and she allowed her fingertips to trace the muscles on his chest. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, shifting his weight to one hand. The other began to search for the way to remove the red band from around her waist.

She arched her lower back, giving him enough room to find where the fabric was secured. To his credit, he didn't take long to figure out how to remove it. He tossed the fabric to the side, where it joined his discarded shirts on the floor. With that out of the way, he found it far easier to pull the strings that secured her kimono. His lips trailed lightly down her collarbone and over the exposed skin of her chest. His fingertips caressed her abdomen as he leaned back down to kiss her.

Her hands grabbed his hair, and she pulled him forcefully against her. She'd waited far too long for this to be patient now.


	10. Training

_**Chapter Ten: Training**_

Shikamaru blinked his eyes open, squinting against the light that poured in from the window. He didn't know what time it was, but he was sure it was too early for him to be awake. He moved his head to look around the room, finally coming to rest where he could see Temari's sleeping face resting against his chest. If he were to get up, he'd wake her. Weighing his options, he decided that staying in bed was far from the worst thing in the world.

She shifted in her sleep, and he froze, worried that he'd disturbed her. Her hand curled around the blanket, and she rolled over onto her other side. Slowly, Shikamaru sat up and got to his feet, trying to shift the mattress as little as possible. Once he was free, he scanned the floor in search of his clothing. He found his boxers between the dresser and the wall, and his pants had been tossed over the post at the foot of the bed.

After tugging his pants up and securing them around his waist, he went in search of his shirt. He froze as he noticed Temari stir, but it didn't do any good.

Lazily, she sat up and brushed her hair back from her face. She yawned into the palm of her hand and rubbed the corner of her right eye with the heel of her palm. Gradually, she became aware of her surroundings, smiling her wide, toothy grin when she saw Shikamaru standing, half-dressed, at the foot of the bed.

"Sorry," he apologized, assuming that he'd woken her.

"It's fine," she assured him before gesturing toward the pyjamas she had abandoned by her closet the night before.

Shikamaru tossed them gently to her before peering into the open closet, still unable to find his shirt. It's not like it could have walked away. He turned back around, indulging himself by taking a moment to watch Temari get dressed. Damn, he was lucky. A long time ago, he had decided that he didn't want to go through the trouble of being with someone. But, now, he could see how the benefits could outweigh the hassle.

"What?" Temari had noticed him looking at her.

"Nothing. Have you seen my shirt?"

She bent down and grabbed a ball of fabric, which was half-hidden underneath the bed. "Here."

He took it from her, smirking to himself. "Thanks."

"Don't let it go to your head," she warned, flicking him lightly on the forehead. "I don't like overconfident men."

"I'll keep that in mind." He looked down at the shirt in his hands. "I should go change. At least pretend that I didn't sleep here."

"I don't know why you're so worried about it," she commented, but made no move to stop him.

"Shouldn't I be?"

"What's anyone going to do?"

 _Kill me. Bury me in the desert so no one ever finds my body._

"Hey," she pulled him out of his thoughts by poking him in the chest with her index finger. "You're a shinobi. Act like it."

"Yeah, yeah." He tugged his shirt over his head, deciding that he still wasn't awake enough for any of this. When Temari opened the door to her bedroom, he hesitated, planning to wait before following her. To his surprise and displeasure, she grabbed him around the wrist and pulled him after her.

Apparently, they had slept in far later than he thought. Both Gaara and Kankuro had returned from the council meeting. Gaara had yet to change out of his robes, and his headdress hung from the back of one of the kitchen chairs. The two brothers had, apparently, decided that they should actually buy some food for their home, and were busy putting groceries into the pantry, cabinets, and refrigerator.

When Temari entered the kitchen, still pulling Shikamaru behind her, all three stopped in their tracks. The tension became palpable as Gaara and Kankuro looked at Temari, and she glared back. It was like some silent battle for dominance, Shikamaru remarked. It was anxiety-inducing.

Gaara was the first to back down, although Shikamaru assumed he did so out of apathy. He was the youngest, but as kazekage, his word was literally law. From what he had seen, it was clear that Gaara was hesitant to use this type of authority on his family. Stepping to the side on a personal matter wasn't surprising. He'd said his peace the night before, and it was clear that he had no further interest in the matter.

That left Kankuro, who showed no sign of giving his sister any ground. Temari narrowed her eyes, and he faltered for a fraction of a second, but he squared his shoulders to make up for it. In a power move, Temari walked further into the kitchen, refusing to back down. Kankuro weighed his pride against her determination, and he seemed to decide that he was better off backing down. Not without anger, he turned back to the task at hand, choosing to ignore his sister's presence altogether.

An uneasy ceasefire settled among them for the time being. Pleased with the result, Temari let go of Shikamaru's wrist and joined her brothers in their effort. If this was what it was like to have brothers, Shikamaru was thankful that he was an only child.

* * *

"Come on, you can do better than this!" Temari chided as she leaped back, away from Shikamaru's approaching shadow.

"Tch." Shikamaru released his hand sign, reassessing the situation. The training field she'd chosen had no shade, and there was very little he could use to his advantage. That, of course, was the point; she was right in pointing out that he'd gotten too comfortable using his jutsu in Konoha's expansive forests. Even in the middle of Sunagakure, he didn't have much to work with when it came to his Shadow Possession.

Temari slammed the blade of her open fan into the sand at her feet. "Don't tell me you're giving up already." As she expected, he pressed his fingertips together, deep in thought. In a fluid sweep, she tore her fan from the ground and positioned it behind her back. She wasn't going to give him more time than an enemy would.

"Dust Wind Technique!"

Shikamaru's eyes flew open, and he rolled to dodge the blast of wind and sand that she'd thrown in his direction. Thinking on his feet, he used his earth release technique, pulling up a barrier to shield himself. The wind sliced into the earth in random patterns, but the barrier was enough to hold it back.

The flat terrain placed her at a clear advantage. His shadows couldn't move fast enough to be of any use, and he had no way to extend its reach. The earth release had provided a small amount of shade, but the sun wasn't going to be to his advantage for a few more hours. He suspected that she'd purposefully waited until the sun reached its highest point to suggest they train.

He reached behind himself and clicked open the button which sealed his pack. His fingers closed around the cool metal he had been looking for. He hadn't practiced too much with Asuma's blades, but she'd left him without any other technique. His fingers slipped into the holes of the blades, and he concentrated his chakra in his hands. He couldn't hear any movement.

Temari's eyes followed him as he rushed out from behind his barrier, but she'd let herself become too confident. She hadn't expected him to come at her with a close-range attack. With a flick of her wrist, her fan closed. She barely had enough time to hold it aloft, blocking the blow from Shikamaru's concentrated chakra. She broke away with a flip, giving herself some more ground by pushing off the earth with her hand before landing.

She had to keep him at bay if she didn't want to get hit. Moving quickly, she re-opened her fan, extending it immediately to the third moon. Her teeth broke the skin on her thumb, drawing blood for her summoning jutsu.

Before she had a chance to summon Kamatari, she clashed again with Shikamaru at close range. He moved much more quickly and purposefully than he did with his mid-range shadow jutsu, placing her at a severe disadvantage. It was clear that he wasn't going to give her any chance to use her ninjutsu.

Temari tucked the end her fan underneath her right arm and used it as a makeshift bow staff. Unless she put some distance between herself and Shikamaru, she wouldn't be able to regroup. She ducked underneath Shikamaru's left arm as he extended it for a blow and caught his shin with the end of her fan. He lost his balance and stumbled, which bought her enough time to toss her fan aside. Two could play at his game.

Her kunai wouldn't be as effective as his chakra blades, but they would allow her more range of movement than her fan. She'd lost her advantage, but she wasn't going down without a fight.

Metal clashed against metal, ringing across their arena. They matched one another blow for blow, turning their close combat into a test of physical endurance.

Neither had noticed that their match had drawn a small crowd, specifically the genin team from Konoha, who had been on their way to train for the third exam. Ebisu was waiting for them further on, but the three children were easily distracted.

Konohamaru, in particular, was thrilled. It was exciting to see Shikamaru fighting with his uncle's ninja tools. He also seemed to be winning against the proctor from the Sand. "Get 'er, big brother Shikamaru!" he shouted in encouragement.

"Looks like you've got a fan," Temari smirked as she lunged forward with the kunai in her right hand, which Shikamaru deflected. She dropped her body to the ground and swept her leg outward, hoping to catch him off guard.

Not about to be caught so easily, Shikamaru jumped backward, out of her range. The two jonin rushed forward, meeting in the middle once more. "You know this means I can't let you win," he taunted as his chakra blades struck her kunai. The force of their blows separated them once more. Neither of them had landed a single blow, and their footwork looked more like dancing than a battle.

A pair of Suna kunoichi slowed their pace as they walked by, and they stopped a few meters away from Konohamaru's squad. The black-haired girl was the first to speak. "I don't think I've ever seen Lady Temari fight without her fan."

Her companion took a moment to watch before commenting, "Isn't that the Konoha ninja? The one she's always with?"

Yukata studied the stranger, trying to get a good look at his face as he darted about the field. "I think so."

"Well, then, _this_ is interesting." Matsuri crossed her arms as she grinned. "Mikoshi can wait. I want to see this."

Temari took a wrong step, and her sandal lost traction on a lightly-packed mound of sand. Shikamaru couldn't stop his chakra blade, and the energy grazed her right cheek. Blood trickled from the scratch, but that wasn't enough to stop either of them. As jonin, a few cuts and bruises after a sparring session were par for the course.

"Yeah!" Konohamaru jumped into the air, pumping his fist. "C'mon, Shikamaru!"

Matsuri cupped her hands around her mouth as she shouted, "Show him what a Suna kunoichi can do, Lady Temari!"

"Oh, so you get an honorific?" Shikamaru teased.

" _Some_ people remember that I'm royalty," Temari countered. Truthfully, that fact mattered very little to her, but she was as determined to win their verbal sparring match as she was their physical one.

They were getting nowhere with using their blades. At this rate, they'd be locked in without striking one another until they ran out of energy. It was clear that Shikamaru was buying time until he could use his jutsu, when the shadow from his barrier would appear on the sand.

She just needed to find an opening. Unfortunately, he kept his blows tight and concise. Their competitive natures had taken over, and they were playing for keeps. He wasn't the lazy kid who would throw a match anymore. They were both testing their mettle, and neither showed any sign of backing down.

She was running out of time, and Shikamaru knew it. Just a little longer, and he'd win for sure. He'd been careful to keep her away from her fan, never giving her a chance to pick it back up. He spared a glance to make sure they were still at a distance.

That was his biggest mistake. In that second, Temari snaked her right arm underneath his left armpit and used his momentum against him. Before he knew what was happening, she had thrown him down into the sand. His back hit with enough force to knock the wind out of him.

Before he could react, Temari was on him, straddling his chest. The point of her kunai hovered near his throat. Her hand was shaking slightly, and she was breathing heavily. It hadn't been an easy victory.

Matsuri and Yukata cheered, whereas Konohamaru growled several expletives that he'd probably learned from Naruto.

Temari tucked her kunai back into her pack before digging her heels into the sand, lifting herself off him. She stepped back and extended her hand, intending to help him up. Shikamaru accepted the gesture. His eyes stung from the sweat running down his face, and his breathing was ragged. He'd used far more of his energy than he thought.

He lifted his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers. Temari gave him a wide grin and reciprocated the gesture, curling her fingers around his in a show of solidarity. It was a time-honored Konoha custom, one he had taught her years ago, after their first match. Well, the first friendly match.

Konohamaru rushed over to Shikamaru now that the match was over. "You could have won!" he protested, disappointed in his fellow ninja. "You could have hit her so many times!"

"I could have, if it were a battle," Shikamaru corrected the genin after letting go of Temari's hand. "You should know better than to fight dirty in a sparring match."

Yukata was kind enough to go out of her way to retrieve Temari's fan and bring it to her. After giving her thanks, she secured the weapon to her back, where it belonged. Matsuri rocked back and forth on her heels, grinning slyly. So _this_ was the guy Lady Temari worked with so often in Konoha. She hadn't thought much about him when he helped proctor the joint chunin exam before, but she couldn't help her curiosity. Her interest in Gaara promoted her to spend more time around the kazekage clan, and she'd tried to befriend Temari, despite their age gap. This was one topic she refused to talk about.

"Shikamaru Nara, right?" Matsuri asked, studying the black-haired man. If she wasn't mistaken, they were just about the same age. "The Konoha proctor?"

Shikamaru nodded, but didn't say anything.

"I'm Matsuri, and this is Yukata. We're friends of Lady Temari."

Temari had to keep herself from correcting her, realizing that doing so would be incredibly rude. She could be blunt, but she wasn't evil. Instead, she countered with a question. "Shouldn't you two be with Mikoshi?"

"Yeah," Yukata admitted, to Matsuri's displeasure. "We were supposed to meet him half an hour ago for training."

"You should get going, then." Temari didn't leave room for negotiation.

As the two kunoichi walked away, she could hear Matsuri scolding Yukata for making them leave.

"Konohamaru." Moegi reached out and caught him by the sleeve, earning his attention. "Ebisu-sensei's going to be mad that we're late. We should go before he decides to make our punishment worse…"

Konohamaru looked crestfallen. "I didn't think about that," he admitted.

"So come on!" Moegi tugged his sleeve forcefully, prompting him to follow her and Udon.

"See you later, big brother Shikamaru!" Konohamaru called over his shoulder as he broke into a run, taking his usual place at the head of the group.

Temari wiped the blood from her cheek with the back of her hand before turning to Shikamaru. "Round two?"


	11. Third Wheel

_**Chapter Eleven: Third Wheel**_

Far less of the week was spent relaxing than Shikamaru would have liked. As the third exam approached, spectators from other villages and lands began to arrive. Gaara had taken the last two days to welcome the feudal lord of the Land of Wind, and security was at its peak. The third exam was always his least favorite for this very reason; there were too many people, and the constant buzz of excitement kept him from feeling completely at peace.

He took his cigarette between his fingers and exhaled a cloud of smoke. He stood in the center of a large arena, looking up at the rows of empty seats above the walls of the structure. The ground was basically a pit of sand, but the loose earth had been moved into dunes, scattered around the arena. This left a good portion of the arena with a solid, sandstone base, which would allow the genin from other villages to keep their footing. Suna couldn't be accused of bias.

Temari climbed down a flight of stone steps along the wall, making her way down into the arena. In her left hand, she held a file, which was closed tightly with string. "Everything seems to be in order," she informed her fellow proctor as she approached. "We'll have a few more matches than we wanted, but there's too few of them to hold an elimination."

Shikamaru held out his hand for the folder, which she passed to him. He unwound the string and removed the papers inside, glancing over the information sheets for the remaining genin. "I don't think the spectators will mind. We have a solid group this year. It should be entertaining all the way through."

"That's what I'm hoping."

"Still, this is going to take at least two days. The nine, preliminary matches will probably take the entirety of the first day. Even if they're over quickly, the crowd will appreciate the break."

"Right. Then we'll have to have five matches with the winners; one will have to fight twice, if no one drops out. Ideally, we can get through the semi-finals and finals that day, too."

Shikamaru slid the papers back inside the file and sealed it. "Are any other kage coming?"

"Not that I know of. The only high-profile guest we have so far is the feudal lord." Temari informed him. "During the matches, Kankuro will be the liaison between us and Gaara. Gaara wants both of us on the field in case we need to stop any of the matches."

"Is that a little much?"

"Perhaps, but I'm not going to tell him that." Temari placed her hands on her hips. "I say we leave well enough alone. We're prepared two days ahead, which is better than we've ever done."

"We've got this down to an art," Shikamaru agreed. The chunin exams were always an ordeal, but he couldn't deny the satisfaction he felt when they were over.

"Tomorrow, we'll give the arena a once-over to make sure nothing's been tampered with. Everything else is planned and ready to go."

The pair, having finished their task, exited the arena and stepped into the flow of Suna's now-bustling streets.

"Hey, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru stuck his pinky finger in his ear and rotated it. Maybe he needed to eat something? Could hypoglycemia make someone hear things?

"Shikamaru!"

Temari stopped walking and turned, and Shikamaru followed her lead. "Son of a bitch," she whispered as she drew in a breath.

"Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, extremely confused. The blonde ninja stuck out from the crowd in his bright orange outfit. The flow of traffic parted around them as Naruto rushed over to his friend. "What are you doing here?" he asked, a little more harshly than he intended.

"There's no way I'd miss Konohamaru becoming a chunin!" Naruto declared, a smile on his face. "He's gotta have someone here to cheer him on, after all!"

Well, he had a point. After losing the Third Hokage and Asuma, Naruto was the closest thing Konohamaru had to family. It seemed that Naruto had sufficient time to forgive and forget the incident at the hot springs. Shikamaru glanced at Temari, but she just looked annoyed. At the moment, they were public figures. They couldn't afford any slip-ups.

Naruto became situationally aware enough to realize that Shikamaru wasn't alone. To his credit, he took a half-step back as he greeted, "Oh, hey, Temari."

Temari resisted the urge to make a sudden move in his direction just to see if he would jump. She crossed her arms below her chest, narrowing her teal eyes just a fraction. "Naruto."

"Did anyone else come with you?" Shikamaru tried to change the subject before Naruto had a chance to say something he'd regret.

"Nah. I had to convince Grandma Tsunade to let me come; she didn't wanna send anyone else." Naruto raised his arms and put his hands behind his head. "Say, where's Gaara?"

"He's attending to the feudal lord," Temari informed him. "You didn't really think the kazekage would just be wandering about before the third exam, did you?"

"Yeah, I guess you have a point."

Shikamaru saw a flicker of indignation in Temari's eyes. "Listen," he said to their unexpected guest, "we've got a lot to do before the one-on-ones." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "We should probably get going."

"I'll come with you! I'm supposed to meet up with Gaara, and he's sure to show up around you guys!"

Shikamaru looked at him in disbelief, but Naruto ignored him completely. He was unbelievable.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Naruto asked, forcing himself between Shikamaru and Temari to continue walking down the street. "Let's get going!" He stopped mid-step and looked behind him. "Where're we going, exactly?"

* * *

Shikamaru and Temari sat on either side of a shogi board, their pieces scraping and clacking on the wooden surface as they made their moves. To the side, Naruto sat cross-legged, frowning. He did his best to sit in silence, his eyes darting back and forth as the two ninja took mere seconds to take their turns. He growled to himself impatiently before blurting out "I thought you were going to work on the exam!"

"We are," Shikamaru lied flatly, his eyes never leaving the board.

"No, you're just playing shogi! Come on, I wanna help!"

"It's not our fault if you don't understand the process," Temari countered, following Shikamaru's lead.

"You guys are just fucking with me."

"Listen, Naruto. These exams are the result of months of planning. Everything has to go off perfectly. For that to happen, we have to stick to our method. We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important." Shikamaru set his knight down, taking one of Temari's pieces.

Naruto grumbled. "Man, when's Gaara gonna get here?"

"He'll be back when he's back," Temari informed him. "No one's forcing you to stay."

"I mean, he's got to come home sooner or later, right? So it makes sense for me to just hang here with you guys."

 _Unbelievable_ , Temari thought to herself. How could a ninja be so oblivious? By this point, they had all but told him to leave. If it wasn't for Gaara's request for secrecy, she might have resorted to being completely blunt in telling him that he was an unwanted third wheel who was taking up the few precious hours Shikamaru and she would have alone that day. It was maddening.

Shikamaru knew what she was thinking by the way she made her next move. She was too preoccupied to notice that she'd left herself open to checkmate. He took his rook between his fingers and trapped her, much to her disdain. "That's a match."

Naruto looked excitedly at Shikamaru as he brushed the shogi pieces into their box. Finally! "So what're we gonna do now?" he asked, ready to get to work helping them with the third exam.

With a straight face, Shikamaru informed him that they would "Play Go."

Naruto gaped at him in complete disbelief. His demeanor changed as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Yeah, you guys are fucking with me."

* * *

When Gaara and Kankuro returned home, Naruto acted like they'd saved his life. He rushed after Gaara, following him to his room while prattling on about something or another. Kankuro watched them go before asking "What's his problem?"

"He's been here for hours," Temari complained as she stood up from the board.

"We ran into him on the street, and he invited himself." Shikamaru popped his neck. "He refused to leave until Gaara got home."

"Sheesh," Kankuro empathized. "Why's he even here?"

"To watch the third exam," Shikamaru informed him. "Which means that he'll be hanging around for another three days, at the least."

Gaara returned after putting away his kage garb, Naruto still on his heels. "So, yeah, I kinda need a place to stay."

"We can put you up," Gaara assured him, ignoring the frantic gestures his brother and sister were making. "But Shikamaru's staying here, too, so you'll have to sleep on the couch."

"He can have my room," Shikamaru said quickly. "I can take the couch."

"Wow, thanks, Shikamaru!" Naruto exclaimed.

If Naruto were to stay on the couch, he would treat the entire place like it was his bedroom. They would never be able to get away from him. This way, they could enclose him inside four walls for at least a few hours, giving them all some peace. "No problem. Just give me a minute to get my stuff."

"He's a real stand-up guy," Naruto declared after Shikamaru left the room. "I feel kinda bad, though. He's taller than me. I don't know if he's gonna fit on the couch."

"Don't worry about it," Kankuro said dismissively. "I'm sure he'll figure something out." As much as he hated the thought, he knew that Shikamaru would be sleeping in his sister's bed rather than in their living room. He just hoped the two of them would be careful enough not to let Naruto find out.

"It's all yours," Shikamaru declared once he returned.

"Man, I really owe you one. I'm just glad you're not pissed at me anymore."

"I got it out of my system," he said honestly. To his surprise, Naruto laughed.

"I'd say so."

As annoying as he was, Naruto was perhaps the only person that Shikamaru could hit in the face just to be forgiven a week later. He hadn't even apologized, but it was all water under the bridge.

"So," Naruto spoke up. "What's for dinner?"

* * *

Temari lay on her stomach on her bed, her head resting on her forearms. "This has been the longest day of my life," she muttered, her voice muffled by the mattress. Naruto's presence was draining on its own. The added obstacle of keeping him in the dark brought the whole ordeal to a new level. It was still early, but she had to take a few minutes to herself if she was going to keep from injuring him.

"He's not easy," Shikamaru agreed from inside her bathroom, where he stripped down to his boxers. He could see Temari's reflection in the mirror above the sink. "But, he's clueless. Just a few more days, and we're in the clear. We'll let him get a head start to the leaf, tell him there's something we need to do here before I can go back." He pulled the ribbon out of his hair, letting it fall down.

Temari sat up so he could hear her better. "I don't know if I can survive a few days."

"You're being dramatic. Are you feeling alright?" he quipped before walking further into the bathroom. He pulled back the shower curtain to start the water, but he was caught off guard.

Kankuro had positioned his Crow puppet behind the curtain with the intention to get Temari back for hiding his tools a few weeks before; he was an avid proponent of waiting until she didn't expect him to retaliate. Of course, Shikamaru wasn't supposed to be caught in the crossfire.

" _MotherFUCKER!"_ Shikamaru staggered back too quickly, and his step caused the bath mat to slide across the floor. His foot slipped out from underneath him, and he came crashing down on his back.

"Shikamaru!" Temari jumped up and ran over to him.

Gaara opened the door to Temari's bedroom, fearing for her safety. Kankuro was right behind him, but for a very different reason. The evil smile fell from his face when he saw Temari lifting Shikamaru into a sitting position.

"What the hell was that?!" Naruto demanded as he made room for himself to be part of the scene.

Shikamaru moved his hand from the back of his head, grimacing when he noticed blood on his fingers.

In anger, Temari grabbed Shikamaru's hairbrush from the vanity because it was the first thing she could reach. She used it as a projectile and sent it flying at her brother. "You are such an ass!"

"It was supposed to scare you, not him!" Kankuro tried to defend himself.

"How does that make this better?!" Temari growled.

After taking a moment to process what had happened, Naruto snickered. Unable to help himself, he burst into laughter at the expense of his friend. "Man, that's _awesome!_ " he praised Kankuro, who was admittedly pleased that someone found his prank entertaining. "I wish I could have seen his face!"

"I've been sitting on that one for weeks," Kankuro admitted, proud of his work.

Temari was too busy examining the back of Shikamaru's head to bother with them, trying to stop the bleeding. It was a mild injury, but the less blood he lost, the better.

Gaara sighed, aware that he could do nothing in this situation. "Come on," he ordered turning his back on the scene.

Naruto was in stitches as Kankuro shuffled into the bathroom to grab his puppet. Temari glared at him with an intent to kill as he made his way back out. She bit down on the inside of her cheek until Kankuro left and Naruto followed him, asking him admiring questions about what other pranks he'd pulled.

"I'm going to strangle him in his sleep," Temari threatened out of frustration as she threw away the tissues she'd been holding against Shikamaru's wound.

"Kankuro or Naruto?" Shikamaru asked as he stood up. His head rushed a bit, but Temari steadied him.

"Either. Both."

"Just wait until after the exam. Fewer witnesses."


	12. Third Time's the Charm

**_Chapter Twelve: Third Time's the Charm_**

The spectators' cheers roared through the arena, welcoming the genin who were scheduled to compete. Temari was surprised at the turnout; Suna wasn't very central, so anyone not from the village had almost certainly gone out of their way to be here. She took this as a credit to how well she and Shikamaru had executed the last few exams. She glanced over at him, and she saw him flicking the lid of his lighter open and closed. He was impatient to get started, and his head was tilted back as he checked the position of the sun. To anyone else, he appeared to be cloud gazing, lazy as ever. It humored her that he was so frequently underestimated.

As the noise died, he was quick to begin with the rules and structure the exam would take. "Kame and Naoko," he read off his clipboard, "you're first. Everyone else can watch from the waiting area." When he looked up, all but two of the genin scattered. He raised his hand in the air and brought it swiftly down in a signal to begin. Before the genin could move, he leaped to the alcove which served as the exit to the arena.

He stood by Temari's side, watching the match closely. The two seemed even when it came to skill; this might take a while. Temari passed him two stat cards, one for each current participant. He was right. Their skills in taijutsu and ninjutsu were ranked closely, but the cloud genin had a kekkei genkai. Even so, the match could go either way. The betting tables were probably busy.

The hours seemed to drag on forever, if only because it took Shikamaru and Temari a matter of seconds to predict the outcome of each battle. It was too bad they weren't allowed to place any bets; they could have made quite a bit of money, from what Shikamaru understood from the reactions of the spectators. As a proctor, he wasn't supposed to show any bias, but he couldn't hide his pleasure when Konohamaru and Moegi made it into the second round. Udon put up a good fight, but his opponent was several years older and had taken the exam before.

Shikamaru briefly took on the role of security guard in addition to proctor after Konohamaru's victory, when Naruto tried to rush the arena. No sooner had Temari called the match did Konohamaru run to meet him in a display that could only be rivaled by Might Guy and Rock Lee in magnitude. He'd awkwardly sent the two weeping ninja back up the stairs to their seats, dreading what their reactions would be when Konohamaru met his next opponent the following day.

To their great relief, no major incidents occurred during the first nine matches. Shikamaru was almost hit with a fire jutsu when he rushed onto the field to call an unbalanced match, but that was the worst of it. For Shikamaru and Temari, it was almost a miracle. After the final match, Temari gave her brother a hand signal, at which he stood and gave his usual closing speech for such an event. The large crowd filed orderly through the corridor, needing no guidance or oversight.

Gaara and Kankuro remained on the upper level, where the feudal lord was taking the time to shake the kazekage's hand and exchange a few words. Patiently, Shikamaru leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette, relieved that things had gone so well. Temari, who had extended her hand, took the pack from him and did the same.

She had just begun to relax when they were approached by Naruto and Konohamaru, who had remained behind while Ebisu took his teammates back to their lodgings. Temari flicked the ashes off the end of her cigarette, sending the glowing, red dust to the ground. Wanting to avoid stepping into conversation, she lifted it to her lips, providing herself with an excuse not to speak.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, gave Konohamaru an affectionate pat on the head. "You did good today, kid. Asuma'd be proud. Your gramps, too."

The genin beamed at his praise, laughing to himself. "Thanks, big brother Shikamaru."

"I'm gonna take Konohamaru out for ramen to celebrate," Naruto declared. "It might not be Ichiraku, but we've gotta stick to tradition. You wanna come?" Realizing he was being rude, he added, "You can join us too, Temari."

Temari exhaled a cloud of smoke before looking to Shikamaru. It was his decision. She wasn't offended that she'd been an afterthought. Really, Naruto just assumed they went everywhere together at this point, even though he never asked why. Seeing that she didn't care one way or the other, Shikamaru glanced up at Gaara and Kankuro. It seemed like they'd be a while, and he didn't want to have to wait until they were through to eat. And, if they stuck around, they might get sucked into the political dance of formalities they had been able to avoid up to this point with the feudal lord.

"Sure," Shikamaru agreed.

"Awesome! I saw this ramen place off the main road that looks pretty good." Naruto suggested.

"No, you don't want to go there," Temari informed him, straightening from her position of leaning against the wall. "It's expensive, and I've seen you eat ramen before. I know a place that will give you a bowl larger than Ichiraku for the same price."

Naruto brazenly threw an arm around Temari's shoulders, catching her off guard. She had to jerk her right hand away as not to burn him with the end of her cigarette. "Now, that's what I like to hear!"

Temari shot Shikamaru a look to plead for his help as Naruto steered her along with him out of the arena. Amused, Shikamaru followed along, walking beside Konohamaru.

"You really think Uncle Asuma's proud of me?" he asked. He knew that Shikamaru had been his uncle's favorite, and he'd come to see Shikamaru as a surrogate who took his place after his death.

"Sure he is," Shikamaru assured him. "He's probably thrilled that you didn't follow my lead and throw the match."

"Hey, wasn't that your match with Temari?" Naruto asked. He removed his arm from Temari's shoulders and started to walk backwards so he could look at his friend as he talked. He chuckled. "Man, she was _pissed."_

"You gave up?!" Konohamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But she kicked your butt the other day!"

"Watch it," Shikamaru warned, flicking the back of his head.

Temari smiled to herself and hit it behind the palm of her hand, strategically inhaling from her cigarette. She supposed that a little flirting couldn't hurt; they'd been doing it for years and no one had said anything. "Don't tell me you're still upset about it, Crybaby."

"Alright, give it back." Shikamaru gestured with his hand. "You take one of my smokes then insult me? It doesn't work that way."

As much as she wanted to turn around and tell him to take it if he wanted it, she knew that would be going a little too far. Instead, she looked back at him over her shoulder and tauntingly blew smoke in his direction.

"Oh, man, you're just gonna take that?!" Naruto protested, falling back enough so that he could put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. "Man up, Shikamaru!"

"It's too much of a drag," he complained, shrugging off Naruto's grasp. "She's already smoked more than half of it, so it wouldn't even be worth the effort."

"Make her give you one of hers," Konohamaru suggested, not realizing that the conversation wasn't about being fair.

"She doesn't have any. She just takes mine."

Konohamaru made a face. "So she kicks your butt and takes your stuff. If she's a bully, why do you spend time with her?"

Shikamaru chuckled. "It'll make sense when you're older. Women are strange; they don't work like we do."

"Yeah, Sakura kicks my butt all the time, and I still spend time with her!" Naruto added.

"I don't think that's the same thing…" Konohamaru pointed out.

Temari laughed at this, enjoying the kid's naïve wit. She slowed her pace until she was walking beside Konohamaru, on the outside of their small group. "It's Konohamaru, right?"

"Konohamaru Sarutobi!"

"He's Asuma's nephew," Shikamaru told her, giving a bit of context.

"Ah, I see." As she looked down at him, she could tell that he wasn't entirely sure what to think about her. Fair enough; few people did the first time they met her. She turned her gaze away and indicated a side street. "We need to turn here."

"It looks a little sketchy," Naruto complained.

"If it's too scary for you, we can go back to the main street."

Naruto huffed indignantly, insulted that she would suggest such a thing. "I never said that."

The group stopped when Temari found the building she was looking for. The only thing signifying that it was a restaurant was the kanji for ramen painted on the façade. She dropped her cigarette into the sand and extinguished it with the bottom of her sandal before leading them inside.

The interior of the building was well-lit. It was small, with only a handful of tables, but the environment was pleasant. They were the only customers other than a family of five, who had tucked themselves away in the corner.

"Lady Temari!" The middle-aged woman in the kitchen beamed. "Sit wherever you like, dear. I'll be right with you."

Shikamaru shook his head. "I wish people would stop calling you that. It's weird."

"It comes with the bloodline," she reminded him as she chose a table. Shikamaru took the chair to her left, and Naruto and Konohamaru sat across the table from them. She gestured to the wall by the kitchen, where the menu was painted in bold print. "They don't have a lot of different things, but it's all good."

* * *

Temari was impressed. They had taken an entire hour to eat, and Naruto hadn't annoyed her once. Although, she did need to remind herself that he'd been stuffing his face for a good portion of it.

Naruto patted his distended stomach as they walked, clearly satisfied with the meal. As the main road came into sight, he turned to look at Shikamaru and Temari. "You guys go on ahead. I'm gonna take Konohamaru back to Ebisu-sensei. Just don't lock me out, ok?"

"Don't worry," Shikamaru assured him. "We won't leave you where a sandstorm could take you."

They waited until Naruto and Konohamaru had disappeared into the crowd before beginning their trek home.

"That went well," Temari commented.

Shikamaru nodded in agreement. "I think he's warmed up to you a bit. And he doesn't seem to be angry that I punched him."

"Asuma's nephew seems like a good kid. But, aren't you worried that he spends so much time with Naruto?"

"It's way too late to do anything about it," Shikamaru admitted. "He's been Naruto's mini-me for as long as I can remember."

The two of them walked in silence for a bit before Shikamaru commented, "I don't know what Gaara was worried about. Naruto's completely oblivious."

"We just need to keep it that way."

"He didn't think anything about it when he saw me in my underwear in your bathroom. I'm pretty sure he won't notice."

Temari turned the knob on her front door, but it was locked. Gaara and Kankuro hadn't made it home, then. They dodged a bullet when they left with Naruto, that was for sure. She pulled out her key and inserted it, letting them inside. She turned on the hall light before taking off her shoes. "My back hurts from standing up all day," she complained, more to herself than to Shikamaru.

"And we have to get up and do it all again tomorrow," Shikamaru groaned. He'd forgotten that particular detail. He set off down the hall, looking forward to getting a little rest. They both needed it. Between the stress of the exams and the physical effort it took to keep a few of the genin from actively trying to kill one another, they were a little worse for wear.

"Don't remind me," Temari grumbled, rubbing her forehead with the thumb and index finger of her right hand. "I just want a hot shower."

Shikamaru put an arm out against the wall to stop her in her tracks. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her neck before saying "You know, if you want it _hot_ , I can join you."

Temari put her hands on his chest and pushed him away, looking at him in disbelief. Seeing his confusion, she burst into laughter, clutching her sides as she doubled over. " _Oh my god!_ " She tried to straighten up, but she couldn't help herself. "Oh, god, I can't even look at you! I can't breathe!"

"I was trying to be sexy…" he huffed, clearly missing his mark.

Temari shook her head as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Never say anything like that again. Oh, god. Where the hell did you even hear that? It sounds like a line from _Makeout Paradise_!"

Shikamaru realized that his father and Asuma had more fun at his expense during his younger years than he knew. His complete lack of interest in women had prompted them to give him several unsolicited pointers, well out of earshot of Yoshino or Kurenai. It dawned on him that his sensei managed to troll him from beyond the grave with this one.

Finally able to compose herself, she took him by the hand and led him down the hall. "Come on, idiot."


	13. Finish Line

_**Chapter Thirteen: Finish Line**_

The second day brought a much larger crowd than the first. Around half the shops in Suna had closed for the event; there wasn't any revenue to be made from those in the arena, and many of the residents had chosen to attend, themselves. This resulted in a need for increased security. Several jonin and chunin from Suna were scattered about the arena, and Shikamaru was fairly certain he had identified one or two black ops agents intermixed with the crowd.

He appeared next to Baki, who stood at the back of the northern stands, surveying his charge. "Anything?" Shikamaru asked, glancing over at his fellow ninja.

Baki shook his head slightly. "Don't get too comfortable. The matches haven't started."

"Right." With that, he was gone as quickly as he appeared.

He met with Temari in the same position they had taken the day before.

"Everything's clear," she informed him. "Gaara and Kankuro are going to be watching, too. I don't think anyone would be bold enough to try anything."

"Let's hope not." The energy was already high. Shikamaru had already run through every possible scenario. The highest level of danger would come from having Gaara and Naruto in the same place at a well-publicized event, but one would have to be truly stupid to attack when so many ninja were in attendance. Although he couldn't be sure, he doubted that even the Akatsuki would be so daring.

"Well, then, we'd might as well get started." Temari gestured for him to follow her out into the arena.

To their benefit, one of the Sand genin had been injured too badly in the preliminary rounds to fight in the next match. His win was narrow. The Cloud genin had fallen to the ground three seconds too early. Both were rushed to the hospital for internal and external injuries, and his victory had been announced in his absence. He hadn't been cleared by the medical ninja in time to participate, which left an even eight competitors.

Two from the Leaf, one from the Rain, three from the Sand, and one each from the Rock and Cloud.

The goal was to give each village an equal chance at sending their genin into the semifinals. The first three matches would pit each Sand contestant against genin from the Rain, Leaf, and Rock. The fourth and final match would be fought by the remaining Leaf genin and the genin from the Cloud. For the entertainment of the spectators, Shikamaru and Temari had done their best to match the contestants with similar levels of skill. Those without ninja training wouldn't be able to see much of a difference between a match of two genin fighting with C-level jutsu and one with A-level. So long as the battles stretched out long enough to be entertaining, actual skill didn't matter.

Of course, for the jonin commanders, these longer matches would give them more time to evaluate the genin's skills. All around, it seemed to be the best method, and it was one that had worked well for them in the past.

The names on the digital screen skipped about, giving the implication that the matches were completely random. It hadn't been hard for Shikamaru to pull a few strings and assure the outcomes they already had planned. As Temari expected, the first two names to pop up were those of Hideaki of the Sand and Masato of the Rain. Among cheers from the spectators, both young men leaped down into the arena, kicking up clouds of sand on either side of Temari, who stood between them.

Neither contestant had much of a chance at passing the exam. It was harsh, but true. They had both been carried along by their teammates through the first two trials, and they'd gotten lucky in their last matches. They were skilled, but neither of them were prepared for promotion to chunin. Their purpose was to warm the crowd up for the more intense matches that would come later in the day. Of course, they had no idea that this was the case. Insults had already been hurled, and they were both having trouble remaining still. If Temari didn't start the match soon, they might disobey her orders altogether.

"Begin!"

She barely managed to get out of the way in time. As she approached Shikamaru, she growled to herself about the impatience and complete disregard the two genin had just demonstrated.

"Think we're gonna have to step in?" Shikamaru mused, his eyes following the movements of their first contestants.

"No. I'm sure they'll take care of it themselves. I don't think they have the skill to risk killing one another."

The match ended sooner than she'd anticipated. The Suna genin surprised the crowd when he changed techniques from fire-based chakra to wind, placing the lightning-based chakra of his opponent at a disadvantage. Their techniques weren't refined, but they had enough of a grasp on their elemental natures that, once the Suna genin attacked with wind, the outcome of the match became certain.

Shikamaru entered the arena to call the match, announcing the winner. One down, three to go. If they stuck to their schedule, the semi-finals and finals might even fit into their allotted time.

The digital screen started up once more, flashing through the names of the genin as the arena was cleared from the last match. When the names stilled on the screen, they declared that Azami of the Sand would fight Konohamaru of the Leaf.

Temari pulled out the stat cards for both genin as they entered the arena. This battle would be much more intense than the last, if she and Shikamaru were correct. She was distracted by the sound of running footsteps, somehow not surprised when she saw Naruto rushing clumsily down the stone stairs.

"Can I watch from here?" he asked, almost pleading. Clearly, this was important to him.

She glanced out at the field, where Shikamaru stood between the genin. It wasn't hard to guess what his answer would be.

"So long as you don't cause any trouble," Temari warned, tucking the stat cards safely away and out of his line of sight.

Naruto's anxiety was almost contagious as he watched Kohohamaru fight. In Temari's opinion, he stood a good chance of being promoted by the Leaf. His aim was accurate, and he showed the split-second decision making that was necessary in a leader. Even the way that his squadmates deferred to him outside of combat was impressive.

The spectators erupted into cheers when Konohamaru's kick made contact with the Sand genin's torso, sending her flying into the wall. She fell to the ground and didn't move to get up. With that, Shikamaru declared him the victor.

Konohamaru's match had sent the crowd into a frenzy. Temari was surprised she didn't get booed when, after the fourth match, she declared an hour long break. The victorious genin needed time to recoup and be treated for injuries, but the lapse in entertainment was sure to annoy those in attendance.

Some chose to leave in search of lunch, while others took advantage of the opportunity to move to better seats. As for the proctors, Shikamaru and Temari chose to climb into the viewing area so that they could sit, giving their feet a short rest. Shikamaru dug around in his pack and removed a bag of food pills, offering them to Temari when he had taken one for himself. It had been hours since they had eaten their hurried breakfast, and it would be several more before they were freed from their duties. Although they could both go that long without eating on a normal day, it was a good idea to keep their energy up, just in case they had to interfere in any of the remaining three battles.

Temari pulled the stat cards for the last four genin, fanning them out in her hand. They all seemed to be on an equal level, which made their task easier. Konohamaru would fight the Cloud genin, then the Sand and Rock genin would battle. Moegi had lost her match in the last round, even though she fought until she couldn't stand.

"We should be able to finish before nightfall," she mused before tucking the cards away. The relief in her voice was clear.

* * *

Even though Konohamaru was eliminated in his semi-final match, his spirits were still high. Shikamaru let it slip that his report to Lady Tsunade on the matter would be in favor of his promotion. After all, the ultimate decision was left to the kage.

He left through the doors to the arena, riding on Naruto's shoulders. Naruto was fiercely proud, as was Ebisu. Shikamaru didn't think he'd ever seen the man show so much happiness. There was no reason for the squad to stay, and Ebisu decided that they would use the last hours of daylight to make as much progress across the desert as they could before stopping for the night. Naruto was going to tag along, selfishly hoping to get home so that he could give Tsunade a good word on behalf of the entire squad before the reports were handed in.

The genin from the Rock snaked a victory out of an extremely close match with the Cloud genin. He received applause from every village for his skill, which was impressive, especially for his age. Had they not been in a time of peace, that would be a child to reckon with on the battlefield.

Gaara's closing speech was as eloquent as ever; out of the three siblings, he was by far the most well-spoken. As the arena emptied, the sun still hung in the sky, providing an hour or two of daylight before it would set. The majority of the Sand's guests would most likely stay the night. Although, for everyone else, the exam had reached its end, Shikamaru and Temari couldn't turn their backs on it just yet.

Generously, Gaara and Kankuro volunteered their time to help compile the reports on each genin. Although Gaara had already choses which genin from his village would be promoted, even those from the Sand needed to be written out in detail for formality's sake. These reports would be placed in each genin's file, and although it was a strictly bureaucratic process, it had to be done correctly.

It was only because they'd doubled their work force that the four ninja finished just after midnight. Without her brothers' help, Temari knew she would have been working until dawn. She owed them. In the end, it was clear that they all were happy to see the end of the exam. It had placed stress on them all, no one more than Gaara.

Kankuro, as tired as he was, slammed his pen down on the kitchen table as he signed off on his last report. "We did it," he declared, thrilled with their performance. "Just let Old Man Tsuchikage try to tell us now that we don't have any authority."

"If this doesn't earn their respect, I don't know what will," Temari chimed in, looking at her youngest brother. The five kage had never looked at him with anything but skepticism due to his youth. He was just shy of his seventeenth birthday, whereas the Tsuchikage was just shy of his eightieth. Even the Mizukage, who was the youngest save for Gaara, was almost twice his age.

"One can hope." Gaara didn't seem very confident about the result. "Let's finish up here so we can send these results out tomorrow. The other kage won't want to be kept waiting."


	14. Return to Konoha

_**Chapter Fourteen: Return to Konoha**_

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, carefully surveying the two jonin who stood on the other side of her desk. "I see…" She couldn't say she was surprised by this development, but Gaara was right to consult her. The situation could turn fragile quickly, should things go wrong between Shikamaru and Temari. It wouldn't be so tricky if they weren't both prominent social figures. What was it with this generation and making her life difficult?

She sighed, sitting up once more and placing her elbows on her desk, interlacing her fingers. "Our alliance with the Sand is still new," she reminded them. "You both understand that, don't you?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade. But-"

Tsunade lifted her right hand, silencing Shikamaru. "This puts me in a difficult position. The two of you could possibly solidify our alliance, but there's the risk that things will go the other way."

"Lady Hokage, if I may," Temari spoke up, waiting for Tsunade to gesture for her to continue. "My brother – Lord Kazekage – would never break an alliance over something so petty. I assure you that he intends to keep the alliance between the Sand and the Leaf intact."

"I believe that, but we can't risk the impulsivity of a child with a nation at his back."

"With all due respect, my Lady, that's a severe underestimation of the kazekage."

Tsunade lifted her chin from her hands, surprised by Temari's bold statement. "Is it?" she challenged.

To her credit, Temari didn't back down. "Naruto Uzumaki singlehandedly guaranteed the alliance between our villages. We all know that Naruto intends to become hokage; whether he will or not, Gaara wholeheartedly believes that he will. With how dearly Naruto holds the Leaf, it is impossible for Gaara to turn his back on the alliance. For him, this isn't political. So long as Naruto remains loyal to the Leaf, I can guarantee that Gaara will as well."

"That's an interesting way to put it." Tsunade wasn't sure how to feel now that she knew the Sand's alliance hinged on the son of the Fourth Hokage. Naruto lived and would die for his village, that much she knew. "How long do you plan to stay?" she asked Temari.

"As long as I need to, my Lady."

"If that's the case, I'll take some time to think this through. I may consult with some of the jonin on the matter," Tsunade warned, out of respect for them both. "For the time being, I ask you both to carry on as usual."

Taking their cue, the two ninja turned to leave her office.

"Also," Tsunade added. "You did an excellent job with the exams this year."

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Shikamaru gave her a hollow smile as he held the door for Temari, exiting after her.

Tsunade leaned her head back against her chair. She'd never seen Shikamaru look that way, even when he had a work load that would crush lesser men. Damn it, she was going soft, and she knew it. It was a good thing that Jiraya wasn't there to see this.

"Mi'lady," Shizune prompted, looking at the hokage with concern.

"The kids in this village are going to put me in an early grave."

* * *

It wasn't inconvenient for Temari to spend some time in the Leaf Village. After each exam, they were usually given some time where they weren't sent on any missions. The villages saw how hard they worked and considered the reward well-earned. This was the first time, however, that they weren't spending this reprieve apart.

Shikamaru stopped in the middle of the street as a realization dawned on him. If Lady Tsunade spoke with the jonin of the village, she would be the one to inform his father of his relationship. While he knew his father would advocate on his behalf, he could only hope that he had enough sense not to mention it to his mother before he had the chance himself.

"What?" Temari asked, stopping alongside him.

"Nothing."

She didn't press him, assuming that it was something he couldn't say in public. Instead, she continued on. They wandered aimlessly through the village, preoccupied with the conversation they'd had with Tsunade.

Temari was frustrated that her personal liberty had to be mediated by politics, but there was absolutely nothing she could do. She and Shikamaru had yet to talk about what would happen if Tsunade said no, and she wasn't keen on bringing it up.

Their path led them down a row of shops, the smell of food thick in the air as the afternoon approached. Shikamaru was about to suggest that they stop for lunch; they needed to eat. Really, they both needed to get better about eating their three meals a day. For Shikamaru, it was easy to forget.

"Shika!" A child's voice screeched as they passed a dango shop. Shikamaru stopped and looked over his shoulder as the voice rose almost into a shriek. "Shika!"

Temari turned around to see an infant ambling in their direction. Her small legs could barely support her body, and there were several close calls as she made her way to Shikamaru, who had knelt down to her level. When she reached his outstretched arms, he lifted her into the air above his head, making her laugh.

"Mirai, where's your mother?" Shikamaru asked as he held the child. When she pointed in the direction she'd come from, he chuckled. With a movement of his head, he signaled for Temari to follow him into the shop.

Kurenai noticed Shikamaru walk in, holding her daughter. "Mirai!" she scolded, taking the infant from his arms. "I told you not to run away like that! You scared Mommy."

"Shikaaaa" Mirai complained, stretching he arms out to Shikamaru as she contorted in her mother's grasp. Relenting, Kurenai passed her daughter back to Shikamaru, and Mirai stopped fussing.

Shikamaru saw the fatigue in Kurenai's eyes. As Mirai got older, she became harder and harder to keep out of trouble. Even with her former squad and Asuma's, it was a lot for her to handle. He placed a sympathetic hand on Kurenai's shoulder, at which she sat down on the bench at the nearest table.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Kurenai admitted, eternally grateful for all the help their students had given and continued to give her.

"I told you not to worry about it," Shikamaru reminded her.

The man behind the counter called Kurenai's number, but Shikamaru gestured for her to stay where she was. "Tema, can you take Mirai for a second?" He didn't wait for her to respond, instead handing the infant over to her so that he could retrieve the order.

Temari held Mirai in her arms, looking blankly at her. Mirai stared back, unsure of what to think of this new person. Kurenai watched the interaction, amused that her daughter, for once, didn't seem to know what to do.

Mirai laughed, and her hands reached for Temari's face. Her small fist knotted in her bangs, and she tugged on Temari's hair. Whether or not she knew what she was doing was anyone's guess.

"Hey!" Temari exclaimed, prying open Mirai's fingers. She was holding on to her hair for dear life, laughing all the while.

"Mirai, that's not nice," Kurenai scolded.

"She likes you," Shikamaru commented as he returned to the table.

Mirai's plump hands pushed against Temari's face, getting a tactile response to this new person. "I don't know about that," Temari said skeptically. Mirai's fingers took advantage of her mistake, and she tried to hook them around the corner of Temari's mouth.

To Kurenai's surprise, Mirai didn't immediately demand to be handed to Shikamaru, even though he sat beside Temari at the table. "I think you might have some competition," she warned him.

Temari moved Mirai so that she was in her lap, putting distance between her face and the child's hands. It didn't take long for her to become enamored with the bright red band around Temari's waist. The fabric was silky, and she fascinated herself with tugging at the various, wrapped layers.

"Kurenai-sensei," Shikamaru spoke, "have I introduced you to Temari?"

"No, not formally." Kurenai smiled across the table. "I'm Kurenai Sarutobi. That little devil is my daughter, Mirai."

"Temari of the Sand. I've heard a lot about you."

Kurenai wasn't surprised. Shikamaru still spoke frequently about Asuma. "Well, you're both lifesavers. She's had me at the end of my rope all day. She just keeps getting faster."

"Here's hoping she didn't get the same genes as Konohamaru," Shikamaru quipped.

Kurenai's red eyes narrowed. "Don't put that curse on me." She smirked, making it clear that she wasn't serious. "Speaking of which, are you allowed to tell me how he did, yet?"

"We handed the reports to Lady Tsunade not long ago," Shikamaru informed her. "He did very well. He made it to the semifinals of the last test."

"We agreed to recommend him for promotion," Temari added.

Kurenai smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. He's worked hard."

Shikamaru nodded. "He was happy that Naruto came to watch."

Mirai turned around in Temari's lap, using the neckline of her kimono to pull herself up. Temari moved her so that she could stand beside her on the bench, keeping an arm around her so she wouldn't fall. Mirai reached up and grabbed a handful of her ponytail.

To Shikamaru's amusement, Temari just tilted her head toward Mirai, giving her less room to pull.

"Mirai, let go of Temari. She doesn't like that." Kurenai reached over the table to move her daughter's hand.

"Yes, be nice to Temari," Temari spoke in the third person as Mirai's grip loosened. She noticed Shikamaru smiling at her, and she asked, "What?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you interact with someone under the age of twelve."

"Well, it's not like I have a big family," she pointed out, fighting against Mirai, who had taken ahold of her neckline. She was trying to pull herself up to reach Temari's hair. With her free hand, Temari held the front of her kimono closed, foiling her attempt.

"That's surprising. You're so good with Mirai. I think even Hinata would have given up by now." Kurenai smiled.

"My mother died when I was three, and I have two younger brothers," Temari explained, realizing that probably had a lot to do with it. "My father was the kazekage; he didn't have a lot of time for us. We did have my uncle, but… that was complicated. He died when I was nine." She hesitated. "But you didn't want to know any of that," she mused, suddenly aware that she'd overshared.

"I don't mind," Kurenai assured her. "When Asuma passed, I had just found out I was pregnant. I can't imagine doing this without everyone, and there's seven of us between my team and Asuma's."

"It takes a village… literally, in this case." Shikamaru suggested.

"Speaking of which," Kurenai stood up from the bench, "Hinata offered to watch Mirai tonight so I could get some rest. We should go over and not keep her waiting." She walked to the other side of the table and reached down for her daughter, who shrieked.

"No!"

"Come on, Mirai. We're going to see big sister Hinata."

Mirai did her best to struggle out of her mother's arms. "No! Shika!"

"You can see big brother Shikamaru later. If you're a good girl, maybe big brother Kiba will let you play with his doggie."

Mirai's eyes brightened. "Akakiba!"

"No, sweetie. Kiba's puppy is Akamaru, remember?" Kurenai waved goodbye as she left the restaurant, taking advantage of Mirai's distraction to slip out without any more fuss.

"That was a whirlwind." Temari reached behind her head to tighten the hair Mirai had pulled.

"I think it's a Sarutobi thing," Shikamaru chuckled. "We should wait a minute before we leave, give them enough time that they won't see us again."

* * *

When they left the main road, fewer and fewer people passed them by. Shikamaru judged it safe enough to speak freely. "I'm going to have to stay at my place tonight. My mom will have my head if I don't come home again."

"I get it," Temari assured him. She wasn't eager to meet his parents, either. She preferred the sanctity of her usual apartment.

"So, I don't know. Do you want to get dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" Temari smirked. There was no sort of linear progression to their relationship, that was for sure. But, she thought, after being friends for so long, there was nothing wrong with shuffling the order of milestones.

"If you wanna call it that."

"Alright, then. As my escort, you should choose the best place in Konoha."

"As your _escort_ , I don't have to pay for you," he teased.

Temari fell silent for a moment. "I can't stand this waiting."

"Hey, Lady Tsunade won't take long to make her decision. There's no reason for her not to agree." He looked over at her. She was looking dejectedly off to the side. "Come on."

"I just wish it wasn't so complicated."

"We'll figure it out," he assured her, "even if it means moving villages." He caught himself off guard when he realized he wasn't just speculating.

She sighed, and he wished he could take away her worry. "I just need to know."

"We can't do anything, so try not to think about it." He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "Now, come on, cheer up. If you keep looking like that, people are going to think I'm an ass." He considered it a victory when the corner of her lips turned upwards. "Let's go. We have some time to kill."

* * *

" _Choji!_ " Ino whispered urgently, beckoning her teammate over. She was crouching behind a bench, and he would have walked right by her if she hadn't said anything.

"What're you doing?" Choji asked as he walked in her direction. She mimed for him to be silent and to hide with her. Confused, he did as he was told. Due to his height, he wasn't able to disguise himself as well as she had; his red hair stuck up over the back of the stone bench.

"Look," Ino peered over the top of the bench, pointing to the riverbank below.

Choji followed along, catching sight of two familiar figures lying in the grass. "Yeah, it's Shikamaru and Temari. What about it?"

"She's not supposed to be here!" Ino reminded him. "The exams are over. She's never come back here after."

"So she came for a visit. That isn't weird."

"It is when it's just her," Ino insisted. "And no one said anything about it. He didn't even tell us he was back!"

"You're reading way too much into this."

"They've just been laying there for like an hour!"

"How long have you been here?"

"Nevermind! Just… I'm not crazy, okay?!"

"Is this about what Sakura told you? Because I told you what Shikamaru said and how it was just a misunderstanding."

Ino groaned. "You are absolutely no help."

"I have no idea what you want me to say."

Shikamaru propped himself up so that he was sitting, one knee bent. Ino and Choji ducked back down, concealing themselves.

"If you don't think it's weird, why are you hiding?" Ino demanded. She grabbed Choji by the front of his shirt and gave him a slight shake. "I know you know something!"

"Calm down, Ino! Sheesh. I'm pretty sure they're just looking at clouds. It doesn't have to be some big thing. If you're this bothered by it, why don't you go talk to them?"

Ino shifted so that she could spy over the bench once more. Shikamaru was lighting a cigarette; she could tell from the glowing flame. To her astonishment, he handed it to Temari, who also sat up. The flame appeared a second time. She slapped Choji with the back of her hand to get his attention, hitting him harder than she meant to. "Look! She's using the lighter! He doesn't let anybody use Asuma's lighter!"

"Well, it's not like we ever need to use it."

"Ugh, that's not the _point!_ Look, she's smoking, too."

"So?"

" _So_ they're both smoking!"

"It's not a big deal, Ino. More than one person can smoke cigarettes."

"That's it!" Ino stood up and grabbed Choji by the hand, dragging him behind her as she crossed the street. She let go of him as she got closer to Shikamaru and Temari. Feigning innocence, she exclaimed, "Shikamaru! I didn't know you were back! And Temari, what are you doing back here so soon?"

"I had some business with the hokage. Shikamaru offered to travel with me, since he was already returning from the chunin exam." Temari knew that the best lies always held an element of truth. "We only got here this morning."

Ino invited herself to sit beside them in the grass, with no clear intention of leaving. "I didn't know you smoke, Temari."

"It's a bad habit," she admitted, glancing at the cigarette in her hand. "I don't do it very often, but it helps when I'm stressed."

"What're you stressed about?"

Temari looked Ino in the eyes suspiciously. She didn't like how Ino seemed to be fishing for information. "We just finished planning, executing, proctoring, and hosting the chunin exam. Having the lives of fifty genin in your hands isn't exactly easy."

"Oh, yeah, I guess not," Ino laughed.

Shikamaru knew Ino was up to something; he just didn't know what. A quick glance at Choji assured him that his best friend was just an innocent bystander who had been pulled in. That, at least, was a relief.

"You know," Ino continued, "Choji and I were just about to get some dinner. You should come, too!" She jumped to her feet. "It'll be fun! I didn't think we'd all be together again for a while."

Shikamaru flicked the ashes off the end of his cigarette. So, that was her game. He should have known. They were trapped. If they bailed, and Ino and Choji saw them at another restaurant, their cover was blown. There was no food at Temari's place, and he couldn't take her to his house. Damn her for being nosy. "Sure," he agreed. They had no other option.


	15. Approval

_A/N: Thank you all for reading. This is the last chapter of Something to Prove. There will be more fics like this to come, and I hope you enjoyed this one._

 ** _Chapter Fifteen: Approval_**

Shikamaru was annoyed with his teammates. Well, Ino, at least. They were trapped in an awkward stalemate; she knew what was going on, and he knew that she knew. He couldn't admit anything to her, and it was driving her insane. He wanted nothing more than to leave, perhaps go back to Temari's apartment. He'd rather deal with his mother at this point.

Temari sat beside him, across from Choji and Ino at the barbecue table. Ino sat directly across from Shikamaru. She'd ordered sake for the table, obviously trying to get him to slip. As cunning as she thought she was, he was able to see through each move she made.

He did his best to ignore her and enjoy himself, and she eventually got the hint. She'd stopped asking questions and resorted to observation. Temari and Shikamaru watched themselves carefully, refusing to give her anything she could use.

As well as they had planned, Shikamaru was completely unprepared when he saw his father enter the restaurant.

Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chozo went in search of a table, and Shikamaru wondered if Ino had planned this. He'd forgotten their fathers' once-a-month barbecue night, and he felt like an idiot for doing so.

Ino raised her hand in the air and waved, getting their attention. To Shikamaru's embarrassment, the three of them had clearly started drinking before they arrived, and drug a nearby table to the booth so they could join their children. Chozo sat beside his son and Shikaku beside Temari, leaving Inoichi on the far end.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?" Chozo beamed. "Look at this, two generations of Ino-Shika-Cho enjoying barbecue together."

"Dad, don't be sappy," Choji complained, although he was clearly pleased to see his father.

"I didn't know you were back, Shikamaru," Shikaku commented, catching sight of his son over Temari's head.

"I got here this morning," Shikamaru informed his father.

Inoichi turned his attention to Temari. "You're the Suna princess, right? Lady Temari of the Sand?" He'd seen her in the village, and Ino had mentioned her before, but he'd never met her.

"Temari, please."

"Where are your brothers?" Chozo asked. "I didn't see any of you before you left."

"Gaara and Kankuro are in Suna. They sent me here on business." She didn't enjoy fielding all of these questions, but she knew that the older ninja meant nothing by them. It only made her nervous because of her lie of omission.

"That's too bad. I told the kazekage I would let him look through a few books I've collected." Chozo mused.

Temari smiled politely. "I'm sure Gaara will be back in the Leaf before too long. He'd love to take you up on your offer then."

Shikamaru wanted nothing more than to jump through the window to his left. Why did his father have to sit next to Temari? This was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

"You ok, Shikamaru?" Choji asked in concern.

"Yeah. Just hungry, that's all."

"That's an easy fix." Chozo waved to their waiter, signaling that they were ready to order.

"Bring us everything you have!" the large man declared to their waiter who, from the look on his face, wasn't able to tell if his patron was exaggerating.

"You know," Choji looked across the table at Temari, "it's pretty lame that Gaara didn't let you have some sort of break after the exam. Lady Tsunade makes sure Shikamaru has some time to rest before sending him back out."

"We can't afford to stop," Temari admitted. Even though her business here was feigned, she spoke the truth. "The three of us end up taking on most of the responsibility for the council. Domestically, we have a better network. But, when it comes to our allies, there are only a handful of ninja, aside from us, who are willing to travel." Silently, she added, _or do anything on Gaara's behalf._

"Well, that sucks," Choji sympathized in a way that made her grin.

"Yeah, it does."

* * *

To Shikamaru's relief, their parents stopped questioning Temari, instead choosing to regale them with stories from their younger days. It seemed as though Ino's ulterior motive was forgotten, and the seven of them were able to dine in peace.

Of course, with their fathers, there was a constant flow of sake, which they seemed more than eager to share with the younger generation in some sort of strange bonding exercise.

Ultimately, everyone became more relaxed as time went on. Even Shikamaru was enjoying himself.

The conversation turned to alcohol tolerance, specifically Chozo's, when Shikamaru made the mistake of suggesting that Ino's would be far lower due to her weight.

Becoming defensive at the suggestion that she couldn't keep up with her male teamates, Ino countered, "Temari and I are almost the same weight, so you should say the same thing about her."

"I don't know about that," Shikamaru mused, having experienced it for himself.

"Well, fine, then. Temari, let's have a drinking contest."

"You don't want to do this," Temari informed her before picking up a piece of meat with her chopsticks.

"Why not? It'll be fun."

"Ino, I'm telling you, you don't want to do this with me."

"She _is_ from Suna," Shikaku spoke for the first time in half an hour.

"What does that have to do with it?" Inoichi challenged.

 _Great. She got them involved._ Shikamaru fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Alright, if you're so sure about it, let's make a bet," Shikaku's eyes gleamed.

"I didn't agree to be a part of this," Temari snapped, momentarily losing her cool.

"So you're afraid," Ino smirked.

Before Shikamaru could protest, Temari threw her hands down on the table. "Alright, fine."

Shikaku placed several bills down in front of him, which Inoichi matched.

"Temari," Shikamaru warned.

"Not now, Shikamaru."

Chozo gave a low whistle before laughing.

Ino was amused at Temari's reaction; she clearly took it as an insult to her pride. Selfishly, she thought that she could get her drunk enough to admit what was really going on between her and Shikamaru. It shouldn't be too hard.

* * *

Temari made a show of setting down another empty bottle of sake, earning her a pat on the back from a very inebriated Shikaku. Ino had fallen behind, and Temari squared her shoulders before challenging, "Giving up?"

Ino scowled and drained her cup, annoyed that Temari was receiving praise from the three older men. She'd gotten herself into this, and she wasn't going to stop until Temari slipped up.

Temari's cheeks were red, and when she laughed at Ino's reaction, she did so a little too loudly. She was clearly winning, and Ino was fighting a losing battle.

Ino filled her cup and stared at the clear liquid, trying not to gag. She pushed it away with her fingertips, reluctantly admitting defeat.

"Yes!" Shikaku snatched up Inoichi's bet. His companion wasn't upset at the result, although he did pity his daughter.

"I told you that you didn't want to do this." Temari smirked. "I'm from Suna, bitch!" Thinking herself hilarious, she burst into laughter and fell to the side, her body weight landing on Shikamaru. He didn't have the heart to push her off. "I want to go home," she informed him drunkenly.

"Alright, Alright." Shikamaru took her by the shoulders and straightened her up. At her declaration, the rest of the group seemed to realize how late it had become. Chozo and Choji were able to move on their own, whereas Inoichi had to lean into the booth and take his daughter in his arms.

Shikaku seemed steady enough on his own, to Shikamaru's relief. Now came the challenging part. Doing his best not to injure Temari, he climbed onto the bench seat and moved over her, placing himself on the outside of the booth.

"Come on." Shikamaru pulled her arms around his neck and lifted her by the legs, carrying her on his back. He just hoped she would manage to stay there.

"My fan," Temari reminded him, moving one of her arms to reach back to the booth.

"I know. I wasn't gonna leave it."

"Good."

The night air was bracing, and he could feel Temari shiver against him as he walked alongside his father. It had been an eventful night, to say the least. They walked in silence after parting ways with the Akimichis and Yamanakas.

Temari smiled her toothy smile as her head rested against Shikamaru's shoulder. "I won."

"Damned right, you did," Shikaku praised, much to his son's surprise. "I knew I bet well."

Shikamaru knew that his father had had too much to drink, so he saved his breath instead of scolding him about the ethics of wagering money on a drinking contest between two young women.

"She thinks she's so great," Temari murmured drunkenly, "but I'm a _fucking princess_. Ino can suck it."

"Be nice, Tema."

All Shikamaru got in response was a raspberry blown close to his ear. "Alright, let's get you to bed. You need to sleep this off." He looked over at his father. "I'll meet you at home."

"No you won't," Shikaku said bluntly.

"What?"

"I'll cover for you with your mom. You can't leave her alone; she might fall out a window."

"I will not," Temari snapped indignantly. "I can fly."

Well, she wasn't _wrong_ , but she was also in no state to even attempt using her ninjutsu. "Yeah," Shikamaru relented, thankful that his father had his back. "Good point."

"Don't worry about it," Shikaku assured him. "Just be a gentleman, alright, son?"

* * *

Temari's heart pounded in her chest, and the roar of blood in her ears was almost deafening. She couldn't move her body. Before her eyes, she watched a building crumble, brought crashing to the ground by a blow of the sand demon's tail. That was Gaara… she tried to reconcile the rampaging monster with her baby brother's face, but it was impossible. She looked down at her feet. They were small, a child's.

She was jerked sharply into the air, wrapped in shimmering gold dust that carried her back, taking her from the street to the roof of a nearby building. When her feet touched stone, the dust dissipated, spiraling away from her and gathering in the air at her father's back.

"Yashamaru." Rasa looked over his shoulder, his eyes hard. "Get them out of here."

Temari was lifted into the air once more, this time trapped by her uncle's arm. Kankuro stared at her, eyes wide with fear.

"Yes, Lord Kazekage," Yashamaru affirmed before leaping to the next rooftop. He increased his speed when the sand demon roared.

Temari struggled against him, looking back over his shoulder. She watched as her father rose into the sky, supported by a golden cloud. To her horror, the sand demon swiped a paw at Rasa, trying to knock him out of the air.

* * *

" _Gaara_!" Temari found herself sitting up in bed, her skin clammy. Her heart rate was elevated, and the speed with which she sat up made her painfully dizzy. She groaned and placed her head in her hands, leaning forward. She felt a hand on her back, but she was too nauseated to move. She exhaled shakily.

The hand on her back rubbed in small, slow circles. When she'd steadied herself enough, she turned her head, till supporting it in her hands. In the darkness, she recognized Shikamaru. It was clear that he was worried.

She didn't know how they got here or why he was with her, but she didn't care enough to ask. Her body shook against her will. Shikamaru moved closer to her and took her in his arms, gently rocking her back and forth.

To her embarrassment, she noticed that she was crying. This made her angry with herself, only adding to her frustration. She'd fought for so long to forget these memories, to push them away. She knew that the nightmare had come because she'd drank too much, because she'd let down her mental walls.

Shikamaru felt her muscles tense, and he pressed his lips against the top of her head in a reassuring gesture. "I'm here," he murmured, holding her to his chest.

Temari was far too tired to fight off her trauma. It had managed to dig its claws into her, if only for a moment. There was nothing left for her to do but let it run its course. It was because she felt safe that she allowed herself to speak the words that were scratching at the inside of her skull. The ones she never let out.

"It should have been me."

Her breath hitched in her throat at her admission. She tightened her hold against him, pressing her forehead into his shoulder. She felt weak, almost worthless.

They sat this way for a long time. Even after she'd finished crying, after she stopped shaking, neither of them moved.

"I'm sorry," Temari spoke, her voice raspy.

"Shhh." Shikamaru stroked her hair. "You don't need to be sorry."

"I haven't had a nightmare like that in a long time…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Temari fell silent as she thought about his question. She decided that, after what she put him through, she owed him an explanation. "I just… I don't know." Her hesitation stemmed from the cult of silence that surrounded her family, that they'd been raised to perpetuate. Their public appearance was important to her father and the village.

But, she reminded herself, her father was dead. He didn't have power in this world anymore. She sighed, unsure what Shikamaru would do with this information but determined to tell him all the same.

"Gaara didn't become a junchuuriki on a whim. Our father sealed the sand demon in him before he was born," she explained. "But it wasn't the first time he'd tried. Kankuro and I were incompatible with it. They tried to fuse the demon inside both of us while we were still in utero. I don't know if we rejected it or if it rejected us.

"But, sometimes, I think how much easier Gaara's life would have been if it wasn't him. If he wasn't the one who the demon chose. His rampages, the assassination attempts… We were so young. He was six when my father tried to kill him the first time."

"Tema, none of that is on you." Shikamaru wished he knew what to say.

"We hated him. Everyone told us to. They said he was dangerous, that he would kill us. And he tried. But it wasn't Gaara who did those things; I know that now. I just… I could have stopped all of that."

"No, you couldn't." Shikamaru moved her head from his chest so he could look her in the eyes. "There's nothing you could have done. It's not your fault that Gaara housed the one-tail. It's not your fault that your father treated him like a threat. You were just a kid."

He was right, and she knew it. All the same, her trauma-based emotions didn't respond to his logic. She freed himself from his arms and lay back down, and he joined her. She rolled onto her side and put her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His fingers ran slowly through her hair.

Her breathing became steady after a few minutes. She'd exhausted herself. Shikamaru thought this was probably for the best. It was still very early, and they both needed several more hours of sleep that night. He kept himself awake long enough to make sure she wasn't having another nightmare; when she didn't stir, he let himself drift off once more.

* * *

Temari groaned and pulled the blanket up over her head, trying to block out the light coming in from the window. "Why did you let me drink so much?" she complained to Shikamaru.

"I tried to stop you, if you'll remember. You and Ino got into this weird, woman-pride thing with one another."

"Oh, god." Things were starting to come back to her. "Please tell me your dad didn't win a bet because of it."

"I wish I could. Awesome first impression, by the way." Shikamaru chuckled devilishly. Temari let out another, louder groan, trying to become one with the comforter. "He thought you were funny, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you may have shouted that Ino could 'suck it.'"

"Just let me die in peace."

"You also said that he shouldn't worry about you falling out a window because you can fly. To his credit, he did tell me to stay with you and that he'd cover for me with my mom."

" _Please_ tell me he'd had too much sake to remember any of this."

"Honestly, I have no idea. I think his blood's half alcohol."

"Did I do anything else to embarrass myself?"

"No. You did have a nightmare…"

"Trust me. That I remember." She pulled the blanket down and extended her arm, rolling slightly until she could wrap her fingers around the glass on the bedside table. She drained the water from the glass.

She groaned when someone knocked on the door, loathing the noise. Shikamaru left her in bed and walked to the front door, checking who it was through the peep hole. He unlocked and opened the door for his best friend, who looked like he was in better shape than either of them. "Choji. What's up, man?"

"Dad sent me over with this," Choji explained, showing Shikamaru the bottle in his hand. "He made one for Ino, too. Said they'd both need it."

Shikamaru took the bottle and opened it, giving it a cautious sniff. He grimaced. "Yeah, the Akimichi family recipe. I just hope she can keep it down."

"How's she doing?"

"She's been better."

"I'm dying," Temari's voice complained from the bedroom.

"Hold on, just let me get you a glass. This'll have you feeling better in no time." Shikamaru started to walk into the kitchen.

"Fuck the glass, just bring it here."

Choji chuckled as Shikamaru turned around and walked into the bedroom. He heard nothing for a moment, and then Temari broke out in a coughing fit. She punctuated it with colorful expletives, and Shikamaru walked back out, holding the empty bottle.

"Damn," Choji laughed as he took the bottle from his friend. "I don't think my old man could down it like that."

"I'm pretty sure she just wanted to get it over with." Shikamaru filled a glass with water from the sink. "How's Ino?"

"Probably ten times worse than Temari," Choji admitted. Temari, at least, was together enough to speak, swear, and know what would help her. "She took one look at the bottle and ran to the bathroom. I had to hold her hair."

"The world doesn't deserve you, Choji. You're a good guy."

"So…" Choji dropped his voice. "You wanna come clean about what's going on here?"

"You can't tell anyone."

"How long?"

"About a week."

"Who knows?"

"Her brothers and sensei, Lady Tsunade, and you. My dad might suspect something, but he hasn't brought it up. We can't say anything about it until Lady Tsunade makes her decision."

"And the kazekage?"

"He doesn't care. I think he knows what would happen if he told her how to live her life."

Choji nodded. "Well, it's about time."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone saw it coming. It wasn't exactly subtle. You both have bad attitudes to everyone else."

"I do not have a bad attitude."

"Yes, you do," Temari called.

"I'm gonna get going," Choji told his friend. "Come by when you can, let me know how it all turns out."

"You'll know as soon as I do," Shikamaru promised.

* * *

"I don't see a problem with it." Kakashi leaned back on the window frame he stood beside in the Hokage's office. He crossed his arms and turned his head so he could look at Tsunade with his uncovered eye. "Our alliance with the Sand is one of the strongest we've had since the last war. As far as I can tell, Gaara doesn't care what the old guard thinks. Rasa's loyalists are getting older, and Gaara's won more of the village over than anyone would have expected."

"But what about Gaara?" Tsunade countered from her desk. "How can we know that he'll keep the alliance?"

"Come on, Tsunade. Let the kids have their fun." Jiraya shrugged.

"Helping or hurting, Jiraya?" Tsunade trusted her fellow sanin, but he never had the best judgement. The fact that he had returned to the village only to release his newest novel was not working in his favor.

"Oh, would you stop it, already? I don't really know the kid, but he seems like a good enough guy. He's got enough patience to work under you, after all. So cut him some slack."

Tsunade drummed her long fingers on the wood of her desk. "It's not that easy."

"But why not? The kazekage may be a kid, but he isn't gonna drag us into a war because his sister's feelings got hurt. Quit being a stick in the mud. It's not like you can't remember what we were like at that age."

"He's got a point, you know," Kakashi added.

"Does anyone who _doesn't_ treat _Make Out Tactics_ as a holy book have anything to say?" Tsunade challenged.

"Mi'lady, if I may," Shizune spoke up and took a few steps toward the hokage's desk. "I don't think Shikamaru has gone through so much trouble for anything in his life. He mentioned talking to the kazekage when he was here yesterday, and he agreed to wait for you to make a decision."

"Shizune's got a point." Guy made his voice heard for the first time in their meeting. "He's the first one to disappear from anything he doesn't want to do."

"The kid's never stared at a woman longer than he has a shogi board," Kakashi quipped. "If you pass on this, the Nara clan might never get an heir."

Tsunade frowned, thinking deeply about the situation.

"You know you want to say 'yes.'" Jiraya clapped a hand on her shoulder. "You wouldn't be talking to us if you were going to say 'no.' Besides, it's not like they're getting married. Let 'em have a little time to figure it out. You'll have plenty of time to worry about it later on."

"Fine," Tsunade relented, annoyed that Jiraya could so easily read her thoughts. "But if this goes south, you four will be just as much to blame as I am."

Kakashi saw Guy gearing up for one of his boisterous speeches and intervened just in time. "Come on, Guy." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder and steered him out of the office. "Save it for the next time you see Shikamaru, ok?"


	16. Author's Note on Sequel

A/N: This chapter is to let you know that Something to Gain, the sequel to this piece, has been posted!


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